In linguistic typology, SVO stands for Subject–Verb–Object
This means that in a sentence, the subject comes first, followed by the verb, and then the object. SVO is the most common word order by number of speakers, and the second most common by number of languages.
📌 Example: 「我吃蘋果。」(I eat apples.)
“我” (I) is the subject, “吃” (eat) is the verb, and “蘋果” (apples) is the object.
Chinese Is an SVO Language
Modern Mandarin Chinese follows the SVO word order. A simple sentence like 「我愛你」 clearly shows this pattern: “我” (I) is the subject, “愛” (love) is the verb, and “你” (you) is the object.
📌 Example: 「我愛你。」(I love you.)
Subject → Verb → Object = “我” → “愛” → “你”
SOV Features Also Appear in Chinese
Although Chinese is mainly SVO, it sometimes shows patterns similar to SOV (Subject–Object–Verb) languages. For example, in sentences using the “把” construction, the word order shifts.
📌 Example: 「我把你舉起來。」(I lift you up.)
Here, “我” (I) is the subject, “你” (you) is the object, and “舉起來” (lift up) is the verb phrase — following an S-O-V pattern.
Where SVO Languages Are Spoken
SVO languages are widely spoken in Southeast Asia (including China), many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and regions around Europe and the Mediterranean. Outside these areas, SVO is less common.
📌 Example: 「他去學校。」(He goes to school.)
“他” (he) is the subject, “去” (goes) is the verb, and “學校” (school) is the object — a typical SVO sentence.
Adjective Placement in Chinese
In Chinese, adjectives usually come before the noun they describe. This is typical of many SVO languages.
📌 Example: 「漂亮的衣服。」(Beautiful clothes.)
“漂亮的” (beautiful) is the adjective, placed before “衣服” (clothes).
📌 Example sentence: 「她穿漂亮的衣服。」(She wears beautiful clothes.)
Expressing Place, Manner, and Time
When describing actions, many SVO languages follow the order: place → manner → time. Chinese often follows this pattern too.
📌 Example: 「他在圖書館用電腦學中文。」(He studies Chinese using a computer in the library.)
“在圖書館” (in the library) = place, “用電腦” (using a computer) = manner, “學中文” (study Chinese) = action.
Position of Auxiliary Verbs
In Chinese, auxiliary verbs like “會” (can), “要” (want), or “能” (be able to) usually appear before the main verb.
📌 Example: 「我會說漢語。」(I can speak Chinese.)
“會” (can) is the auxiliary verb placed before “說” (speak).
This overview helps beginners understand how Chinese sentences are structured. By learning the typical SVO pattern and its variations, you’ll build a strong foundation for expressing ideas clearly in Mandarin.
