很 + 动词
hěn + dòng cí
Special verbs with "hen"
A few verbs of feeling take 很 the way adjectives do.
很 + Verb
How it works
我很喜欢他 — I like him a lot. Normally 很 modifies adjectives, but verbs describing states of mind accept it.
The set is small and worth memorising: 喜欢, 想, 爱, 怕, 希望, 了解, 关心.
Ordinary action verbs reject it: 我很吃饭 is nonsense.
Examples
wǒ hěn xǐ huan tā
我很喜欢他。
I like him a lot.
wǒ hěn xiǎng nǐ
我很想你。
I miss you a lot.
tā hěn pà gǒu
他很怕狗。
He's very afraid of dogs.
Common mistakes
- 很 cannot modify an action verb.