Many beginners assume 是 (shì) works like the English verb "to be" in every situation. That's a common mistake — 是 (shì) is specifically for identifying and equating: saying that A is B. In this lesson, "Saying Who You Are," you'll practice this pattern in real spoken conversation with AI teacher Mei Lin.
是 (shì) links a subject to what that subject is. The core example:
我是学生 (wǒ shì xuéshēng) — "I am a student."
Here, 是 (shì) connects 我 ("I") to 学生 ("student"). You can swap in other roles and nouns: "She is a teacher," "This is a book," "They are students." After this lesson, you can introduce yourself, say what you do, and identify things around you — all using 是 (shì).
This is a live voice conversation — you talk out loud with Mei Lin, not by typing. Each lesson targets one grammar pattern and takes about 10 minutes. Mei Lin listens, corrects your grammar and pronunciation in the flow of conversation, and adapts to your level. You'll practice introducing yourself and answering questions about who people are, using A + 是 + B until it feels natural. You can try the first lesson free.
After mastering 是 (shì), continue with other HSK 1 lessons — try Saying Not (不 (bù) — Basic Negation) to learn how to negate statements, or Talking About Everyone (都 (dōu) — Expressing 'All/Both') for another essential pattern. To reinforce your writing, print free handwriting worksheets with the Chinese Worksheet Generator.
是 (shì) is the Chinese verb for "to be" used in identification and equating — linking a subject to what it is. The pattern is A + 是 + B, as in 我是学生 (wǒ shì xuéshēng), "I am a student." It does not replace adjectives; you wouldn't use it for descriptions like "I am happy."
"Saying Who You Are" is a live voice lesson where you talk out loud with AI teacher Mei Lin for about 10 minutes. You practice the A + 是 + B pattern by introducing yourself and identifying people and things. Mei Lin corrects your grammar and pronunciation as you speak and adjusts to your level.
No — 是 (shì) is for identifying and equating, not for describing qualities. To say "the tea is hot," Chinese uses an adjective structure without 是 (shì). This lesson focuses on identification patterns like "I am a student" or "This is a book," where 是 (shì) connects two nouns.
Yes — this is an HSK 1 lesson, designed for learners just starting out. 是 (shì) is one of the first verbs you need in Chinese, and the live conversation format lets you practice speaking from day one. You can try the first lesson free.