Serial Verb Constructions in Chinese

Overview

Serial verb constructions (连动句, liándòng jù) place two or more verbs in sequence sharing the same subject, without conjunctions between them. The actions typically occur in chronological order or express purpose: 我去商店买东西 (I go to the store to buy things). This is a natural and extremely common pattern in Chinese.

At the CEFR B1 level, serial verb constructions are essential for expressing purpose, means, and sequences of actions. The pattern allows you to chain actions together fluidly without the connectors English requires ("in order to," "by means of," "and then").

The verbs in a serial construction share the same subject and appear in the order they logically occur. The first verb often describes movement or method, and the second describes the purpose or main action.

How It Works

Common serial verb patterns

Pattern	Example	Meaning
Go + Purpose	去商店买东西	go to store to buy things
Transport + Destination	坐飞机去北京	take plane to go to Beijing
Method + Action	用筷子吃饭	use chopsticks to eat
Come/Go + Purpose	来找我	come to find me
Get + Use	拿钱买票	take money to buy tickets

Key features

• Same subject for all verbs
• Verbs in chronological/logical order
• No conjunction needed between verbs
• Negation typically applies to the first verb

Examples in Context

Chinese	Pinyin	English	Note
我去商店买东西。	Wǒ qù shāngdiàn mǎi dōngxi.	I go to the store to buy things.	movement + purpose
他坐飞机去北京。	Tā zuò fēijī qù Běijīng.	He takes a plane to Beijing.	transport + destination
我们用筷子吃饭。	Wǒmen yòng kuàizi chī fàn.	We use chopsticks to eat.	method + action
她来找我。	Tā lái zhǎo wǒ.	She came to find me.	movement + purpose
他回家做饭。	Tā huí jiā zuò fàn.	He goes home to cook.	movement + purpose
我带你去看电影。	Wǒ dài nǐ qù kàn diànyǐng.	I'll take you to see a movie.	escort + activity
她出去买菜。	Tā chūqù mǎi cài.	She went out to buy groceries.	movement + purpose
我上网查资料。	Wǒ shàng wǎng chá zīliào.	I go online to look up information.	method + purpose
他骑自行车上班。	Tā qí zìxíngchē shàng bān.	He rides a bike to work.	transport + destination
我去图书馆借书。	Wǒ qù túshūguǎn jiè shū.	I go to the library to borrow books.	movement + purpose

Common Mistakes

Adding unnecessary conjunctions

• Wrong: 我去商店和买东西。(I go to store and buy things.)
• Right: 我去商店买东西。
• Why: Serial verb constructions need no conjunction; the verbs flow directly into each other.

Wrong order of verbs

• Wrong: 我买东西去商店。(I buy things go to store.)
• Right: 我去商店买东西。(I go to store buy things.)
• Why: Verbs must follow chronological/logical order: first you go, then you buy.

Using different subjects for each verb

• Wrong: 我去商店他买东西。
• Right: 我去商店买东西。(same subject: I)
• Why: Serial verb constructions require the same subject for all verbs. For different subjects, use separate clauses.

Practice Tips

• Describe daily routines as chains: 我起床洗脸吃早饭去上班. String together multiple verbs in sequence.
• Practice the "go somewhere to do something" pattern: 去 + place + verb. This is the most common serial verb structure.
• Think in terms of chronological order when constructing these sentences: what happens first comes first.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Common Verbs -- know movement and action verbs
• Next steps: Pivotal Constructions -- sentences where one person's object is another's subject