是
shì/ʂɻ̩⁵¹/
In Chinese, the word for "am" is 是 (shì).
The word 是 is primarily used to link two nouns or noun phrases together, such as when saying "I am a student," whereas English uses it to link subjects to adjectives.
Meaning: before noon (adv)
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike English, the Chinese word 是 does not change its form based on the subject (I, you, he, she, it, we, they). To negate the verb 是, you must place 不 before it to form 不是.
How do you pronounce it?
shì
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use 是 to link an adjective to a noun, such as saying 我是高兴 instead of 我很高兴 for "I am happy."
Did you know?
Examples in context
- 我是最好的。I am the best.This sentence demonstrates the use of 是 to express being the best.Tatoeba #409665 by egg0073, translation #409664 by CN
- 我是个翻译。I am a translator.This sentence shows how to use 是 when stating a profession.Tatoeba #490803 by GlossaMatik, translation #536946 by Kerstin
- 这是我的错。I am to blame for it.This sentence illustrates how 是 is used to identify a mistake.Tatoeba #790573 by GlossaMatik, translation #42404 by CM
- 252 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing their meeting time.
- 佳怡 Jiayi我们要上午十点开会吗？Wǒmen yào shàngwǔ shí diǎn kāihuì ma?Are we having the meeting at ten in the morning?
- 志强 Zhiqiang不对，是上午九点。Bùduì, shì shàngwǔ jiǔ diǎn.No, it is nine in the morning.
- 佳怡 Jiayi好的，我知道了。Hǎo de, wǒ zhīdào le.Okay, I got it.
- 志强 Zhiqiang没问题，明天见。Méi wèntí, míngtiān jiàn.No problem, see you tomorrow.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 是, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 是, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
