HSK 1
(omitting 是)
(omitting 是)
Structure
Subject + [Number + Measure Word/Noun phrase]
How it works
In Chinese, the linking verb 是 (shì) is typically omitted when the predicate of a sentence is a numeral-measure word phrase, particularly when stating age, dates, time, or prices. This is known as a 'noun predicate sentence'. Including 是 in these specific contexts is not grammatically wrong but sounds less natural in casual conversation.
Examples
我女儿三岁。
Wǒ nǚ'ér sān suì.
My daughter is three years old.
今天二月九号。
Jīntiān èryuè jiǔ hào.
Today is February 9th.
三块一斤。
Sān kuài yī jīn.
It is three yuan per half-kilogram.
Common mistakes
Students often mistakenly omit 是 in negative sentences; you MUST use 不是 (bú shì) if the sentence is negative (e.g., '我不是20岁').
Tip
Only omit 是 for objective facts like age and time; never omit it when the predicate is a standalone noun or a profession (e.g., '我是老师' cannot be '我老师').
More HSK 1 grammar
See (omitting 是) in real Chinese
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