The 把 (bǎ) Construction
Moving the object before the verb for emphasis on result
Category: Grammar
The Rule
The 把 construction rearranges word order to: Subject + 把 + Object + Verb + Result/Complement. It emphasizes what happens TO the object — the result, change, or disposal of the object.
Why This Matters
Normal Chinese word order is SVO (Subject-Verb-Object), same as English. The 把 construction moves the object BEFORE the verb: S-把-O-V. This feels backwards to English speakers but serves an important purpose: it spotlights what happens to the object. Use 把 when the object undergoes a specific change, movement, or transformation. You can't use 把 with vague verbs — the verb must have a clear result.
Examples
• 请把门关上。(Qǐng bǎ mén guān shàng.) — "Please close the door." [把 + door + close-shut: emphasis on the door being closed] • 我把作业做完了。(Wǒ bǎ zuòyè zuò wán le.) — "I finished (doing) the homework." [把 + homework + do-finished: emphasis on completion] • 他把我的书拿走了。(Tā bǎ wǒ de shū ná zǒu le.) — "He took my book away." [把 + my book + take-away: emphasis on the book being removed] • 把这个翻译成中文。(Bǎ zhège fānyì chéng zhōngwén.) — "Translate this into Chinese." [把 + this + translate-into Chinese: transformation]
Common Mistakes
❌ 我把书看。(bǎ + bare verb with no result) ✅ 我把书看完了。(bǎ + verb + result complement) → 把 requires a result, direction, or clear outcome after the verb. Just '把书看' is incomplete — see it, then what? 看完 (read to completion) or 看了 (read [done]) works. ❌ 我把不知道这个。(把 with mental verbs) ✅ 我不知道这个。(No 把 needed) → 把 is for actions that physically affect or change the object. Mental verbs (知道 know, 喜欢 like, 觉得 think) can't use 把 because they don't 'do' anything to the object. ❌ 把 with an indefinite object: 我把一个苹果吃了 ✅ 我吃了一个苹果 (indefinite objects prefer normal SVO) → 把 works best with specific, known objects. 'A certain apple' or 'the apple' works with 把. A random, first-mentioned apple usually uses normal word order.
Quick Tip
把 = 'take [object] and [do something specific to it]'. If the verb doesn't change, move, or affect the object, don't use 把.
把 = 'take [object] and [do something specific to it]'. If the verb doesn't change, move, or affect the object, don't use 把.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: 我把书看。(bǎ + bare verb with no result) → Correct: 我把书看完了。(bǎ + verb + result complement). 把 requires a result, direction, or clear outcome after the verb. Just '把书看' is incomplete — see it, then what? 看完 (read to completion) or 看了 (read [done]) works.
Incorrect: 我把不知道这个。(把 with mental verbs) → Correct: 我不知道这个。(No 把 needed). 把 is for actions that physically affect or change the object. Mental verbs (知道 know, 喜欢 like, 觉得 think) can't use 把 because they don't 'do' anything to the object.
Incorrect: 把 with an indefinite object: 我把一个苹果吃了 → Correct: 我吃了一个苹果 (indefinite objects prefer normal SVO). 把 works best with specific, known objects. 'A certain apple' or 'the apple' works with 把. A random, first-mentioned apple usually uses normal word order.
Quiz
Why can't you say 我把这本书喜欢?