双宾语

shuāng bīn yǔ

Verbs that take double objects

Some verbs take two objects in a row: the person first, the thing second.

Subj. + Verb + Indirect Obj. + Direct Obj.

How it works

我问了老师一个问题 — I asked the teacher a question. Person, then thing, with nothing in between.

The verbs that do this are ones of giving and telling: 给, 送, 教, 问, 告诉, 还.

English can do the same ("give me the book") but also allows "give the book to me". Chinese uses this order or restructures with 给.

Examples

  • wǒ wèn le lǎo shī yí gè wèn tí

    我问了老师一个问题。

    I asked the teacher a question.

  • tā jiào wǒ men zhōng wén

    他教我们中文。

    He teaches us Chinese.

  • gào sù wǒ nǐ de míng zì

    告诉我你的名字。

    Tell me your name.