Zhège cài hěn là, nǐ néng chī ma?
This dish is very spicy, can you eat it?
The pattern 'néng + verb' is used to inquire about someone's ability to do something. In this sentence, it is used to ask if the listener is able to eat the spicy dish.
这个 (zhège): this菜 (cài): dish很 (hěn): very辣 (là): spicy你 (nǐ): you能 (néng): can吃 (chī): to eat
wǒ zuó tiān kàn le liǎng bù diàn yǐng。
Yesterday I watched two movies.
The particle 了 (le) is used after a verb to indicate completion of the action. The measure word 部 (bù) is used for movies in Chinese.
我 (wǒ): I昨天 (zuó tiān): yesterday看 (kàn): to watch了 (le): particle indicating completion两 (liǎng): two部 (bù): measure word电影 (diàn yǐng): movie
Wǒ men kě yǐ zuò dì tiě qù shàng hǎi.
We can take the subway to Shanghai.
The sentence structure is subject + modal verb + verb + noun. The modal verb 可以 is used to express permission or ability.
我们 (wǒ men): we可以 (kě yǐ): can坐 (zuò): to take; to sit地铁 (dì tiě): subway去 (qù): to go上海 (shàng hǎi): Shanghai
wǒ bù xǐ huān kàn diàn shì.
I don't like to watch TV.
The negative particle 不 (bù) is used to negate the verb 喜欢 (xǐ huān) which means 'to like', followed by the verb 看 (kàn) which means 'to watch' and the noun 电视 (diàn shì) which means 'TV'. When negating a sentence in Chinese, the negative particle 不 (bù) is always placed before the verb or adjective that is being negated.
我 (wǒ): I不 (bù): not喜欢 (xǐ huān): like看 (kàn): to watch电视 (diàn shì): TV
Tā zài dàxué lǐ xuéxí hànyǔ.
He is studying Chinese at university.
In this sentence, we see the use of the location complement '里' to indicate the place where the action of studying is taking place. Additionally, we see the verb '学习' being used to indicate the action of studying.
大学 (dàxué): university里 (lǐ): in学习 (xuéxí): study汉语 (hànyǔ): Chinese language