Mandarin Chinese reference
读
dú
to read
Verb pattern · 11 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) | dúread |
Completed action
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | dú leread |
Experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | dú guohave read before |
In progress
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | zài dúbe reading |
Ongoing state
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | dú zhebe reading |
Future
About to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | yào dú lebe about to read |
Will / can
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | huì dúwill read; can read |
Negative
Not
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | bù dúdo not read |
Did not
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | méi dúdid not read |
Questions
Yes no question
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | dú ma?do you read? |
A not A question
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| verb phrase (subject omitted) | dú bu dú?do you read? |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Mandarin Chinese entries.