Someone asks you what day it is. In English you'd say “Today is Monday,” but in Chinese you can drop the verb entirely — the noun does all the work. That's a Nominal Predicate Sentence, and it's one of the most common patterns for stating dates, times, and ages.
The structure is simple: Subject + Noun Phrase, with no verb in between. The example sentence is 今天星期一 (jīntiān xīngqī yī), meaning “Today is Monday.” Here 今天 (jīntiān, “today”) is the subject and 星期一 (xīngqī yī, “Monday”) is the noun phrase acting as the predicate. No 是 (shì, “to be”) is needed — the noun directly describes the subject.
You'll use this same structure to state the time or your age. Once you internalize that no verb is required, you'll sound more natural and avoid the common beginner habit of inserting 是 where it doesn't belong.
This live conversation lesson is part of the HSK 1 lessons hub, so you talk out loud with AI teacher Mei Lin in real time — voice, not typing. Over roughly 10 minutes, Mei Lin asks you about the day of the week, the time, and your age, guiding you to respond with Nominal Predicate Sentences. She corrects grammar and pronunciation in the flow of conversation and adapts to your level, so you get immediate feedback each time you speak.
After this lesson, you can use Nominal Predicate Sentences in conversation — telling someone the day, the time, or your age without reaching for a verb. The first lesson is free to try, so you can start talking right away.
Ready for more? Move on to Counting Things with 个 (gè) and common measure words or Describing Things with 很 (hěn). To reinforce your writing, try the free printable Chinese worksheet generator with ready-made HSK 1–3 word packs.
A Nominal Predicate Sentence follows the pattern Subject + Noun Phrase with no verb. For example, 今天星期一 (jīntiān xīngqī yī) means “Today is Monday” — the subject 今天 is directly followed by the noun 星期一, and no 是 or other verb appears. This pattern is standard for stating dates, times, and ages.
No. In Nominal Predicate Sentences, you skip 是 entirely. You say 今天星期一 (jīntiān xīngqī yī) — “Today is Monday” — placing the noun phrase right after the subject. Adding 是 in this context sounds unnatural to native speakers, so the noun alone carries the meaning.
You'll talk out loud with AI teacher Mei Lin about the day of the week, the time, and your age, responding with Nominal Predicate Sentences. The lesson targets this single grammar pattern and takes about 10 minutes, with Mei Lin correcting your grammar and pronunciation in real time as you speak.
Yes — the first live lesson is free to try, and you can start talking with Mei Lin right away. Each lesson focuses on one grammar pattern, so this one zeroes in on Nominal Predicate Sentences for dates, times, and ages, giving you focused practice in a short session.