PMW Translation #19: Mastering 把 (Part 1)

🌀 Pearls of Mandarin Worksheet: Translation #19

Hello Mandarin Enthusiasts! 🌟

I hope you’re all excited to dive deeper into the nuances of Mandarin with this week’s focus on the 把 (bǎ) structure (read the lesson here).

As I continue to explore new and effective ways to boost your Mandarin proficiency, I have some fantastic updates to share about the Pearls of Mandarin Worksheets!

Starting this week, I’m enhancing your learning experience by introducing two specialized formats:

1. PMW Translation: Released every Saturday, these worksheets will concentrate solely on translating sentences from English to Mandarin. I’ll guide you through the intricacies of Mandarin grammar and vocabulary, helping you craft authentic Mandarin sentences. This focused approach will allow you to deepen your understanding and mastery of written Mandarin.

2. PMW Listening: Each Sunday, embrace a unique mini-podcast experience with a 听写 (dictation) exercise. This format is designed to sharpen both your listening and writing skills effectively. You’ll receive a Mandarin transcript, a pinyin transcript, the English translation, a vocabulary list and grammatical explanations. But I encourage you to treat it as a dictation challenge. It’s a dynamic way to enhance your comprehension and retention of spoken Mandarin.

Why this change? It’s simple—focusing on one skill at a time allows for more targeted practice and deeper learning. Whether you’re crafting sentences or tuning your ear to Mandarin’s rhythms, each worksheet is designed to be an integral step in your language journey.

Today’s Exercises

Convert these English sentences into Mandarin, applying what you’ve learned about the 把 structure:

1. Please put the keys on the table before you leave.

2. She handed the concert tickets to him at the gate.

3. The teacher explained the rules until everyone understood perfectly.

And remember: Practice Makes Perfect.

🌀 Translation #1

Please put the keys on the table before you leave.

Let’s start with the opening of the sentence, which is a polite request. In Mandarin, we often start requests with 请 (qǐng), which translates directly to “please.”

Following 请, we can add 你 (nǐ) meaning “you.” This is not strictly necessary in Mandarin, as the pronoun can be implied and omitted in many contexts, especially in imperative sentences. However, including it here specifies the subject of the action clearly, which can make the sentence sound more polite and direct in a formal or respectful context.

Next, we have the timing clause “before you leave.” Temporal indications are always placed before the verb and close to the subject in Mandarin. Here we can say 离开前 (líkāi qián) where 离开 (líkāi) means “to leave,” and 前 (qián) means “before,” forming a prepositional phrase. This phrase is placed before the main verb to set the timing of when the main action should occur.

The core action “put the keys on the table” involves two complements: the direct object “the keys” and the location “on the table,” so we must use a construction using 把 (bǎ):

• [Subject] + 把 + [Object] + [Verb] + 在/到 + [Location}

The 把 construction helps to foreground the object and what happens to it, focusing on the placement of the keys as the central action of the sentence.

Here, the object “the keys” is simply 钥匙 (yàoshi). The verb “to put/place” is 放 (fàng). The location “on the table” is 桌子上 (zhuōzi shàng).

To recap:

• 请你离开前把钥匙放在桌子上。

• 请 / 你 / 离开 / 前 / 把 / 钥匙 / 放 / 在 / 桌子 / 上 / 。

• qǐng nǐ líkāi qián bǎ yàoshi fàng zài zhuōzi shàng

• Please put the keys on the table before you leave.

• Please / you / to leave / before / 把 / keys / to put / table / on

Let’s practice the sentences with my audio recordings:

Slow speed:

Normal speed:

🌀 Translation #2

She handed the concert tickets to him at the gate.