Mandarin Chinese reference
明白
míngbai
to understand; to get it
Verb pattern · 6 form tables
Mandarin verbs do not change for tense. These tables show aspect, negation, questions and sentence patterns. Short phrases omit the subject; full examples retain theirs.
Audio requires a compatible voice in your browser.
Aspect
Plain statement
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | míngbaiunderstand |
Completed action
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | míngbai leunderstood |
Future
Will / can
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | huì míngbaiwill understand |
Negative
Not
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | bù míngbaido not understand |
Questions
Yes no question
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | míngbai ma?do you understand? |
A not A question
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | míngbai bu míngbai?do you understand? |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Mandarin Chinese entries.