Chinese Coverbs You Actually Need: 在, 跟, 給, 對
Place, with, to/for — the four tiny words that quietly run your entire daily Mandarin life.
Traditional Chinese 實用兼類動詞：在、跟、給、對（地點／一起／給誰／對誰）
This guide gives you the real-life patterns for 在 (place/time), 跟 (with), 給 (to/for), and 對 (to/toward/regarding).
You’ll get Traditional Chinese characters, pinyin (with tone marks), clear meanings, and practical example sentences you can actually steal.
Bonus: you’ll stop doing the classic beginner move of putting words in a very English order and hoping Mandarin won’t notice. (It notices.)
Yak Snark
Coverbs look “small,” so beginners ignore them. Then they wonder why their sentences feel like IKEA furniture assembled without the instructions.
Let’s keep your Mandarin upright and not squeaking.
我在台北。
Wǒ zài Táiběi.
I’m in Taipei.
手機在桌上。
Shǒujī zài zhuō shàng.
The phone is on the table.
我跟朋友吃飯。
Wǒ gēn péngyǒu chīfàn.
I’m eating with friends.
我想跟你一起去。
Wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ yìqǐ qù.
I want to go with you.
請給我水。
Qǐng gěi wǒ shuǐ.
Please give me water.
可以給我看看嗎？
Kěyǐ gěi wǒ kànkan ma?
Can you show me?
我對你說一件事。
Wǒ duì nǐ shuō yí jiàn shì.
I want to tell you something.
對我來說，太早了。
Duì wǒ lái shuō, tài zǎo le.
For me, it’s too early.
Copy-paste patterns you’ll use immediately
Coverbs usually sit before the main verb and introduce the “extra info” (place, who you’re with, who receives something, who something is aimed at).
Learn these patterns and your sentences instantly stop sounding like direct English translations.
在 + 地方 + 動作 zài + place + action
Do an action at/in a place.
我在咖啡店工作。
Wǒ zài kāfēidiàn gōngzuò.
I work at a café.
在 + 時間 + 做… zài + time + do…
Do something at a time.
我們在晚上見。
Wǒmen zài wǎnshàng jiàn.
Let’s meet in the evening.
… 在哪裡？ … zài nǎlǐ?
Ask where something/someone is.
洗手間在哪裡？
Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ?
Where is the restroom?
跟 + 人 + 一起 + 動作 gēn + person + yìqǐ + action
Do something together with someone.
跟我一起走。
Gēn wǒ yìqǐ zǒu.
Walk with me.
跟 + 人 + 說… gēn + person + shuō…
Tell someone / talk to someone.
我跟你說一件事。
Wǒ gēn nǐ shuō yí jiàn shì.
Let me tell you something.
跟 + 人 + 借… gēn + person + jiè…
Borrow something from someone.
我想跟你借筆。
Wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ jiè bǐ.
I want to borrow a pen from you.
給 + 人 + 東西 gěi + person + thing
Give something to someone.
給你一杯茶。
Gěi nǐ yì bēi chá.
Here’s a cup of tea for you.
給 + 人 + 動作 gěi + person + action
Do an action “to/for” someone (call, message, send…).
我給你打電話。
Wǒ gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.
I’ll call you.
給我 + 動詞 gěi wǒ + verb
A direct request: “give me / let me …” (use your polite face if needed).
給我看看。
Gěi wǒ kànkan.
Let me take a look.
對 + 人 + 說… duì + person + shuō…
Say something to someone (a bit more “aimed at” than 跟).
我對他說謝謝。
Wǒ duì tā shuō xièxie.
I said thanks to him.
對…有興趣 duì … yǒu xìngqù
Be interested in …
我對中文有興趣。
Wǒ duì Zhōngwén yǒu xìngqù.
I’m interested in Chinese.
對…來說 duì … lái shuō
From someone’s perspective / for someone.
對你來說很容易。
Duì nǐ lái shuō hěn róngyì.
For you, it’s easy.
So: 我在家工作 (setup: at home → action: work) feels natural.
Mini “grammar” you can survive without crying
These words behave like prepositions in English, but they’re called “coverbs” because they often act like verb-ish helpers.
The big takeaway: they introduce an object (place/person) and then the real verb shows up after.
Also, Mandarin has two very common ways to say “to someone”: 跟 and 對.
Both work in many cases (e.g., “tell him”), but 跟 feels like “talk with,” while 對 feels like “directed toward.”
More words and patterns (with examples)
在 — place & time that won’t betray you
| Traditional Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning (EN) | Example (ZH) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 在這裡 | zài zhèlǐ | here (located) | 我在這裡等你。 | I’m waiting for you here. | |
| 在那裡 | zài nàlǐ | there (located) | 你的包在那裡。 | Your bag is there. | |
| 在家 | zài jiā | at home | 我今天在家。 | I’m at home today. | |
| 在公司 | zài gōngsī | at the office | 他現在在公司開會。 | He’s in a meeting at the office now. | |
| 在學校 | zài xuéxiào | at school | 小孩在學校學中文。 | Kids learn Chinese at school. | |
| 在路上 | zài lùshàng | on the way | 我在路上，快到了。 | I’m on the way—almost there. | |
| 在外面 | zài wàimiàn | outside | 外面在下雨，我們先別出去。 | It’s raining outside; let’s not go out yet. | |
| 在裡面 | zài lǐmiàn | inside | 他在裡面休息。 | He’s resting inside. | |
| 在附近 | zài fùjìn | nearby | 附近有便利商店嗎？ | Is there a convenience store nearby? | |
| 在旁邊 | zài pángbiān | next to | 我坐在你旁邊可以嗎？ | Can I sit next to you? | |
| 在前面 | zài qiánmiàn | in front | 公車站在前面。 | The bus stop is up front. | |
| 在後面 | zài hòumiàn | in back / behind | 廁所在後面。 | The restroom is in the back. | |
| 在桌上 | zài zhuō shàng | on the table | 你的鑰匙在桌上。 | Your keys are on the table. | |
| 在包裡 | zài bāo lǐ | in the bag | 錢包在包裡，不用找了。 | The wallet is in the bag—no need to search. | |
| 在週末 | zài zhōumò | on the weekend | 我們在週末去爬山。 | We’ll go hiking on the weekend. | |
| 在晚上 | zài wǎnshàng | at night / in the evening | 他在晚上比較有空。 | He’s more free in the evening. | |
| 在十分鐘內 | zài shí fēnzhōng nèi | within 10 minutes | 我在十分鐘內回來。 | I’ll be back within 10 minutes. | |
| 在…之前 | zài … zhīqián | before … | 在睡覺之前，我會看書。 | Before sleeping, I read. | |
| 在…之後 | zài … zhīhòu | after … | 在下課之後，我們去吃飯。 | After class, we’ll go eat. | |
| 在…的時候 | zài … de shíhou | when … | 在我忙的時候，別打電話。 | When I’m busy, don’t call. |
跟 — “with” + the people part of your sentence
| Traditional Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning (EN) | Example (ZH) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 跟朋友 | gēn péngyǒu | with friends | 我週末跟朋友出去。 | I’m going out with friends this weekend. | |
| 跟我來 | gēn wǒ lái | come with me | 不知道路？跟我來。 | Don’t know the way? Come with me. | |
| 跟你一起 | gēn nǐ yìqǐ | together with you | 我想跟你一起學中文。 | I want to learn Chinese together with you. | |
| 跟我說 | gēn wǒ shuō | tell me / talk to me | 有問題就跟我說。 | If you have a problem, tell me. | |
| 跟他借 | gēn tā jiè | borrow from him | 你可以跟他借充電器。 | You can borrow a charger from him. | |
| 跟你換 | gēn nǐ huàn | swap with you | 我可以跟你換位子嗎？ | Can I swap seats with you? | |
| 跟…一樣 | gēn … yíyàng | the same as … | 這個跟那個一樣。 | This is the same as that. | |
| 跟…有關 | gēn … yǒu guān | related to … | 這跟工作有關。 | This is related to work. | |
| 跟…沒關係 | gēn … méi guānxì | has nothing to do with … | 這跟你沒關係。 | This has nothing to do with you. | |
| 跟…吵架 | gēn … chǎojià | argue with … | 我不想跟你吵架。 | I don’t want to argue with you. | |
| 跟…聊天 | gēn … liáotiān | chat with … | 我喜歡跟你聊天。 | I like chatting with you. | |
| 跟…合作 | gēn … hézuò | work with / collaborate with … | 我們想跟你合作。 | We want to work with you. | |
| 跟…打招呼 | gēn … dǎ zhāohū | say hi to … | 記得跟大家打招呼。 | Remember to say hi to everyone. | |
| 跟上 | gēn shàng | catch up / keep up | 你走太快了，我跟不上。 | You’re walking too fast; I can’t keep up. |
給 — who receives it (or benefits from it)
| Traditional Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning (EN) | Example (ZH) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 給你 | gěi nǐ | to you / for you | 這個給你。 | This is for you. | |
| 給我 | gěi wǒ | to me | 請給我一張紙。 | Please give me a sheet of paper. | |
| 給他 | gěi tā | to him | 你可以給他一點時間。 | You can give him a bit of time. | |
| 給大家 | gěi dàjiā | to everyone | 這句話給大家參考。 | This sentence is for everyone’s reference. | |
| 給我一杯水 | gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ | give me a cup of water | 可以給我一杯水嗎？ | Could you give me a cup of water? | |
| 給你看 | gěi nǐ kàn | show you | 我拿照片給你看。 | I’ll show you the photos. | |
| 給我看看 | gěi wǒ kànkan | let me take a look | 給我看看你的票。 | Let me see your ticket. | |
| 給你聽 | gěi nǐ tīng | play it for you to hear | 我唱一段給你聽。 | I’ll sing a bit for you. | |
| 給你用 | gěi nǐ yòng | let you use it | 這支筆給你用。 | You can use this pen. | |
| 給你一個建議 | gěi nǐ yí gè jiànyì | give you a suggestion | 我給你一個建議：先從聽力開始。 | Here’s a suggestion: start with listening. | |
| 給你打電話 | gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà | call you | 我晚點給你打電話。 | I’ll call you later. | |
| 給你發訊息 | gěi nǐ fā xùnxí | message you | 我等一下給你發訊息。 | I’ll message you in a bit. | |
| 給你回信 | gěi nǐ huíxìn | reply to you (letter/email) | 我會盡快給你回信。 | I’ll reply to you as soon as possible. | |
| 給自己 | gěi zìjǐ | for yourself | 週末給自己一點休息時間。 | Give yourself some rest time on the weekend. |
對 — directed at someone, or “regarding” something
| Traditional Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning (EN) | Example (ZH) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 對我 | duì wǒ | to me / toward me | 請對我說慢一點。 | Please speak a bit slower to me. | |
| 對你 | duì nǐ | to you / toward you | 我對你很放心。 | I feel confident about you. | |
| 對他說 | duì tā shuō | say to him | 我對他說「不好意思」。 | I said “sorry/excuse me” to him. | |
| 對我來說 | duì wǒ lái shuō | for me / from my perspective | 對我來說，這個價格可以。 | For me, that price is fine. | |
| 對…有興趣 | duì … yǒu xìngqù | interested in … | 你對台灣小吃有興趣嗎？ | Are you interested in Taiwanese snacks? | |
| 對…有用 | duì … yǒu yòng | useful for … | 這個方法對我很有用。 | This method is very useful for me. | |
| 對…負責 | duì … fùzé | responsible for … | 你要對自己的選擇負責。 | You have to be responsible for your choices. | |
| 對…友善 | duì … yǒushàn | friendly to … | 他對新人很友善。 | He’s very friendly to newcomers. | |
| 對…小心 | duì … xiǎoxīn | be careful with … | 對樓梯小心一點。 | Be a bit careful on the stairs. | |
| 對…生氣 | duì … shēngqì | angry at … | 我不是對你生氣。 | I’m not angry at you. | |
| 對…很好 | duì … hěn hǎo | be good to … | 他對家人很好。 | He’s very good to his family. | |
| 對…很重要 | duì … hěn zhòngyào | important to/for … | 睡眠對身體很重要。 | Sleep is important for the body. | |
| 對不起 | duìbuqǐ | sorry / excuse me | 對不起，我來晚了。 | Sorry, I’m late. | |
| 對的 | duì de | correct / that’s right | 你說得對的。 | What you said is correct. |
Bonus coverbs (small set, big usefulness)
| Traditional Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning (EN) | Example (ZH) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 從 | cóng | from | 我從台中來。 | I’m from Taichung. | |
| 到 | dào | to / arrive at | 我們到車站再說。 | Let’s talk when we get to the station. | |
| 往 | wǎng | toward (direction) | 一直往前走。 | Keep walking straight ahead. | |
| 向 | xiàng | toward / to (more formal) | 他向大家道歉。 | He apologized to everyone. | |
| 替 | tì | for (on behalf of) | 我替你回答。 | I’ll answer on your behalf. | |
| 為 | wèi | for (purpose) / because of | 我為你準備了一份禮物。 | I prepared a gift for you. | |
| 幫 | bāng | help / do for | 你可以幫我一下嗎？ | Can you help me for a moment? | |
| 用 | yòng | use / with (a tool) | 我用手機付款。 | I pay with my phone. |
Variants cheat sheet (same idea, different vibe)
| Traditional Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning (EN) | Example (ZH) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 和 | hé | and / with (neutral, common) | 我和朋友去吃火鍋。 | I’m going to eat hotpot with a friend. | |
| 與 | yǔ | and / with (more formal) | 本店與銀行合作。 | This shop cooperates with a bank. | |
| 對…說 | duì … shuō | say to (directed at) | 他對我說「辛苦了」。 | He said “thanks for your hard work” to me. | |
| 跟…說 | gēn … shuō | tell / talk with | 我跟他說清楚了。 | I explained it clearly to him. | |
| 給…做 | gěi … zuò | do something for someone | 我給你做一杯咖啡。 | I’ll make you a coffee. | |
| 幫…做 | bāng … zuò | help someone do something | 我幫你做作業。 | I’ll help you with your homework. | |
| 在…裡 | zài … lǐ | inside / in | 牛奶在冰箱裡。 | The milk is in the fridge. | |
| 在…旁邊 | zài … pángbiān | next to | 便利商店在捷運站旁邊。 | The convenience store is next to the MRT station. |
Yak Snark (again, because you’re still here)
If you only memorize “在=at, 跟=with, 給=to, 對=to,” your brain will still panic mid-sentence. Memorize patterns.
Patterns don’t ghost you when you need them.
