📝 How to Use 是 (shì) for “To Be” in Chinese

When learning Chinese, one of the first things students ask is:

👉 How do you say “to be”?

The answer is: 是 (shì)

But Chinese uses 是 a little differently from English. 

Let’s make it clear and simple.

📚 What Is 是 (shì) ?

是 (shì) is the Chinese word for “to be.”

It can mean am, is, or are — depending on the subject.

Chinese doesn’t change the form like English does.

No need to worry about am / is / are — just use 是 (shì) every time!

Structure:

👤 Subject + 是 (shì) + Noun

💡 Examples

1. 

我是老师。

(Wǒ shì lǎoshī.)

→ I am a teacher.

👉 Let’s break it down:

2.

他是学生。

(Tā shì xuéshēng.)

→ He is a student.

👉 Let’s break it down:

3.

你是医生。

(Nǐ shì yīshēng.)

→ You are a doctor.

👉 Let’s break it down:

4.

我们是朋友。

(Wǒmen shì péngyou.)

→ We are friends.

👉 Let’s break it down:

🎯 Practice Time!

👉 Rearrange the words to make a correct Chinese sentence.

1️⃣ 学生，我，是

→ _______________________

2️⃣ 她，医生，是

→ _______________________

3️⃣ 他，老师，是

→ _______________________

✅ Answers:

1️⃣ 我是学生。

(Wǒ shì xuéshēng.)

I am a student.

2️⃣ 她是医生。

(Tā shì yīshēng.)

She is a doctor.

3️⃣ 他是老师。

(Tā shì lǎoshī.)

He is a teacher.

💡 Easy Tip to Remember

Think of 是 (shì) like “equals” in a math sentence:

A = B.

Simple and clear.

🚀 Final Thoughts

You’ll use 是 (shì) every day in Chinese. It’s one of the most basic, but also one of the most important words to know.

With 是 (shì), you can introduce yourself, describe who someone is, or talk about jobs, identities, and relationships.

Start using this simple structure with confidence — it will help you sound clear and natural from the very beginning.

🌟 Want step-by-step guidance?

👉 Check out my course: Mandarin Chinese Grammar Masterclass for Beginners.

👉 Explore the full blog series: Chinese Grammar Made Easy.