These eleven verbs do an enormous amount of work. Every one is a single character, all of them turn up in HSK 1, and together they carry the sentences a beginner actually says: eating, drinking, watching, listening, speaking, buying, making, giving, coming and going. The worksheet puts each verb in 田字格 (tián zì gé) tracing grids with pinyin above it, free to print or save as a PDF.
Look for the mouth
Three of these verbs are built around 口, the mouth: 吃 and 喝 for eating and drinking, and — surprisingly — 听. In simplified Chinese 听 is written with 口 on the left even though it means to listen; the traditional form 聽 is the one that contains 耳, the ear. Knowing that saves you from hunting for an ear that is not there. 说 takes the speech radical 讠 instead, the same one you see in 请 and 语.
Two traps worth knowing now
First, 走 does not mean go to a place. It means walk, or leave. The verb that takes a destination is 去: 我去商店, never 我走商店. Second, 买 (mǎi, buy) and 卖 (mài, sell) differ by a single 十 on top and by one tone. Write them next to each other once and the pair stops being confusing. Watch 给 too: it takes two objects in the order person then thing — 给我一杯水.
Trace each verb, then write it from memory in the blank grids and say it in a full sentence out loud. The word table below lists all eleven with pinyin and meanings. For extra repetition, print blank 田字格 grid paper, or check how a verb behaves in a real sentence with the Chinese example sentence bank.
Words on this worksheet: 吃 (chī) — eat; 喝 (hē) — drink; 看 (kàn) — see; 听 (tīng) — hear; 说 (shuō) — speak; 走 (zǒu) — to walk; 买 (mǎi) — buy; 做 (zuò) — do; 给 (gěi) — give; 来 (lái) — come; 去 (qù) — go.
Hear these words in beginner Mandarin songs.
Frequently asked questions
Is this worksheet free to download as a PDF?
Yes. The Everyday Verbs worksheet is free to print or save as a PDF, with no account or email needed. Press Print / Download PDF: on a computer the PDF opens ready to print or save, and on a phone it goes to your share sheet. A4 or US Letter follows your country.
What level is this worksheet?
It suits learners from about HSK 1. That is an editorial estimate for the Everyday Verbs topic, not an official HSK word list, so a few of its 11 words may be harder. Each word prints with tone-marked pinyin and an English meaning to help.
Can I print copies for my class?
Yes. Print as many copies as you like — it's free. For a class set, press Change the words and open More options to add an answer key, a class line or a dictation page; the Student PDF leaves the key out. Test turns the sheet into a quiz.
Can I change the words or use traditional characters?
Yes. Press Change the words to open this sheet in the generator, then add, remove or replace words, up to 20 per sheet. Set Characters to Traditional to switch the whole sheet to traditional characters; a word with no verified traditional form stays as you typed it.
How should I practice with this worksheet?
Trace the gray guides first, saying each word aloud, then cover the model and write the characters from memory in the blank boxes. Scan the sheet's QR code or open the Practice tab to watch each stroke animate, trace it, then recall it without a guide. Revisit missed words a day or two later.