Video lesson: 一点儿 (yìdiǎnr) with two objects in Mandarin Chinese grammar, part 2 of 2
视频课：“一点儿”放在哪儿（二）
一点儿 (yìdiǎnr) means "a little", "a bit" or "some". This second part shows where it goes when a verb has two objects, like giving someone something, in two patterns, one with 给 at the end. Then where it goes after "slow", and why you'll hear 一点 in the south and 一点儿 in the north.
The grammar guide: Where to place 一点儿 (yī diǎnr) in a sentence
Chapters
- 0:00 一点儿 (yìdiǎnr)
- 0:34 一点儿 with two objects
- 4:08 一点儿 with 给 at the end
- 6:36 一点儿 after an adjective
- 7:11 一点儿 or 一点?
- 7:41 Recap
Example sentences
Practise 练习
3 grammar exercises and 10 writing drills.
Start without an account.
Start exercise 1 See all exercises
Free: 5 new Exercises a day. Pro: no daily limit. About Pro
Vocabulary list 词单
- Vocabulary list: Video lesson: 一点儿 (yìdiǎnr) with two objects in Mandarin Chinese grammar, part 2 of 2 语法：一点、一、点 32 words and 8 example sentences
Exercises 练习
- Exercises: Where to place 一点儿 (yī diǎnr) in a sentence 语法：一点、一、点 练习 1 drill over 6 characters, and 1 grammar exercise over 2 items
Transcript
-
0:05
Hello again! This is part two of our lesson on the word for a bit. Here it is again.
-
0:12
一点儿。 In part one, we put it straight after the verb, and before the thing.
-
0:19
Like a bit of food, or a bit more hot water. Now let's say who gets it.
-
0:26
Some verbs take a person and a thing. You give someone something, or tell someone something. Then it goes between the two. Here's the first sentence, about paper. 你可以给我点儿纸吗？
-
0:41
'Can you give me some paper?' Let's go word by word.
-
0:46
你。
-
0:47
You.
-
0:48
可以。
-
0:49
Can.
-
0:50
给。
-
0:51
Give.
-
0:52
我。
-
0:53
Me.
-
0:53
点儿。
-
0:55
Some.
-
0:55
纸。
-
0:56
Paper.
-
0:57
吗。
-
0:58
This makes it a question.
-
1:00
Once more. 你可以给我点儿纸吗？
-
1:03
Give, then me, then some, then paper. The person first, then the word for some, then the thing.
-
1:13
That's it. This next sentence is about a present. 我送他点儿吃的东西。
-
1:23
'I'll give him some food as a gift.' Let's go word by word.
-
1:29
我。
-
1:30
I.
-
1:31
送。
-
1:32
Give, as a present.
-
1:34
他。
-
1:35
Him.
-
1:35
点儿。
-
1:37
Some.
-
1:37
吃。
-
1:38
Eat.
-
1:39
“的”。
-
1:40
This links 'eat' to the next word.
-
1:43
东西。
-
1:44
Things.
-
1:45
Once more. 我送他点儿吃的东西。
-
1:49
'Things to eat' means food. Snacks, probably. And 'some' still comes after the person, before the food.
-
1:57
This next sentence is a secret. 我告诉你点儿秘密吧！
-
2:05
'Let me tell you some secrets!' Some secrets? That's how a palace drama starts. Let's go word by word.
-
2:15
我。
-
2:16
I.
-
2:17
告诉。
-
2:18
Tell.
-
2:19
你。
-
2:20
You.
-
2:21
点儿。
-
2:22
Some.
-
2:23
秘密。
-
2:24
Secrets.
-
2:25
吧。
-
2:26
This makes it an offer, like 'let me'.
-
2:29
Once more. 我告诉你点儿秘密吧！
-
2:33
Tell, you, some, secrets. Same order again. Do people say 'I'll give you some colour' in Chinese films?
-
2:41
All the time, usually as a threat. In Chinese action films and TV dramas, someone angry often shouts: 我给你点儿颜色看看！
-
2:54
It means 'I'll teach you a lesson!' I'll stick to teaching grammar. Literally, 'I'll give you some colour to look at!' Let's go word by word.
-
3:07
我。
-
3:08
I.
-
3:10
给。
-
3:10
Give.
-
3:11
你。
-
3:12
You.
-
3:13
点儿。
-
3:14
Some.
-
3:14
颜色。
-
3:16
Colour.
-
3:17
看看。
-
3:18
Have a look.
-
3:19
Once more. 我给你点儿颜色看看！
-
3:23
Give, you, some, colour. The person, then some, then the thing. 'Some' doesn't make this threat polite! Quiz time! Which of these is correct for 'Give me some water'? Have a think.
-
3:49
It's this sentence. 给我点儿水。 The person comes first, then some, then the water.
-
3:56
'Give me some water.' Can we also put the word for 'some' straight after the verb, then say who it's for?
-
4:02
Yes. It goes after the verb as usual, then the thing, and then give and the person. Here's the first sentence, about dinner. 你准备点儿饭给她吃吧！
-
4:16
'Why don't you prepare some food for her?' Let's go word by word.
-
4:22
你。
-
4:23
You.
-
4:23
准备。
-
4:25
Prepare.
-
4:26
点儿。
-
4:27
Some.
-
4:28
饭。
-
4:29
Food.
-
4:30
给。
-
4:31
Give, or here, for.
-
4:33
她。
-
4:34
Her.
-
4:35
吃。
-
4:36
Eat.
-
4:37
吧。
-
4:38
This makes it a suggestion.
-
4:40
Once more. 你准备点儿饭给她吃吧！
-
4:43
So it's 'prepare some food for her to eat'. The person comes after the food. In Eat Drink Man Woman, Ang Lee's 1994 film from Taiwan, the father cooks a feast every Sunday. Calling that 'some food' would be very modest.
-
5:04
This next sentence is about the cat. 咱们喂点儿鱼给猫吧。
-
5:10
'Let's feed a bit of fish to the cat.' The cat approves, but would prefer more. Let's go word by word.
-
5:20
咱们。
-
5:21
We.
-
5:22
喂。
-
5:23
Feed.
-
5:23
点儿。
-
5:24
A bit of.
-
5:25
鱼。
-
5:26
Fish.
-
5:27
给。
-
5:28
To.
-
5:29
猫。
-
5:30
Cat.
-
5:30
吧。
-
5:31
Let's.
-
5:32
Once more. 咱们喂点儿鱼给猫吧。
-
5:36
The fish comes before the cat. Does this pattern work with other verbs too?
-
5:41
Yes, it works with more verbs than the first way, so you'll hear it a lot. This next sentence is about a money transfer. 他转了点儿钱给我。
-
5:54
'He transferred a bit of money to me.' Very kind of him. Let's go word by word.
-
6:01
他。
-
6:02
He.
-
6:03
转。
-
6:04
Transfer.
-
6:05
“了”。
-
6:06
Here, it shows the action is complete.
-
6:09
点儿。
-
6:10
A bit of.
-
6:11
钱。
-
6:12
Money.
-
6:13
给。
-
6:14
To.
-
6:15
我。
-
6:16
Me.
-
6:17
Once more. 他转了点儿钱给我。
-
6:20
After 'transfer' comes the word that shows the action is complete. Then 'a bit of money', then 'to me'. Is it always after a verb?
-
6:29
Not always. Remember the robber in part one? He used it after the word for serious. Here's another sentence like that, and every learner needs it. 请说慢一点儿。
-
6:44
'Please speak a bit more slowly.' I'd wear that on a T-shirt. Let's go word by word.
-
6:51
请。
-
6:52
Please.
-
6:53
说。
-
6:54
Speak.
-
6:55
慢。
-
6:55
Slow.
-
6:57
一点儿。
-
6:58
A bit.
-
6:59
Once more. 请说慢一点儿。
-
7:02
After the word for 'slow', it means 'a bit slower'. Is there anything else we should know?
-
7:09
Two things about how it sounds. First, it's for speaking. You'll hear it all day, and read it in chat messages and novels, but not much in formal writing.
-
7:19
So it's for the café, not the contract.
-
7:22
Second, that R sound at the end, 儿化, is a northern habit. In Beijing, you'll hear: 一点儿。 In the south, people often leave the R off. 一点。
-
7:37
The meaning stays the same, with or without the R. Let's recap. Start with the verb, then the word for 'a bit', then the thing.
-
7:48
With a person and a thing: the verb, then the person, then a bit, then the thing.
-
7:53
Or start with the verb, then 'a bit', then the thing. Add the word for 'give', then the person.
-
8:01
It can go after a word like slow, too. And it's spoken Chinese, with that R in the north.
-
8:07
And that's both parts done. If you'd like to hear these again, a bit more slowly, every sentence has its recording at Chinese Boost dot com.
-
8:18
多练一点儿，下次见！
-
8:20
'Practise a bit more, and see you next time!' Bye!
Sign up for a free Chinese Boost account
Save the words and sentences you find here to your own list, and hear them read aloud. You can export the list to your flashcards whenever you like.
Other articles about 一点
- Video lesson: Where 一点儿 (yìdiǎnr) goes in a sentence in Mandarin Chinese grammar, part 1 of 2 A1
- How to use 一点儿 (yī diǎnr) in Mandarin Chinese Grammar A1
- Where to place 一点儿 (yī diǎnr) in a sentence A1