Mandarin Chinese reference
试
shì
to try; to test
Verb pattern · 10 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.
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Aspect
Plain statement
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | shìtry |
Completed action
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | shì letried |
Experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | shì guohave tried before |
In progress
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | zài shìbe trying |
Future
About to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | yào shì lebe about to try |
Will / can
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | huì shìwill try |
Negative
Not
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | bú shìdo not try |
Did not
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | méi shìdid not try |
Questions
Yes no question
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | shì ma?do you try? |
A not A question
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | shì bu shì?do you try? |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Mandarin Chinese entries.