😅 他是高 Wait… That’s Wrong?!

If you’ve said something like “他是高” (Tā shì gāo) to mean “He is tall,” you’re not alone!

It looks like a normal sentence… but in Chinese, that’s actually wrong! Let’s fix it.

❌ What’s wrong?

In English, we say “He is tall,” so many learners add 是 (shì) in front of adjectives in Chinese.

But here’s the key:

📌 In Chinese, adjectives can act like verbs!

That means you don’t need 是 (shì) before them.

🛠 Let’s Fix It

Wrong sentence:

❌ 他是高。 Tā shì gāo。

Correct sentence:

✅ 他很高。 (Tā hěn gāo。) – He is tall.

💬 More Examples

✅ 天气很冷。 Tiānqì hěn lěng。

👉🏼 The weather is cold.

✅ 这本书很有意思。 Zhè běn shū hěn yǒuyìsi。

👉🏼 This book is interesting.

🤔 Why Add 很 (hěn)?

You might ask, “If 他高 is correct, why say 他很高?”

Good question!

In Chinese, 很 is often added to make the sentence sound natural. It doesn’t always mean “very” — sometimes it just connects the subject and adjective.

So:

• ⚠️ 他高 – grammatically possible, but sounds strange or overly formal.

• ✅ 他很高 – natural and common!

💡 Easy Tip to Remember

• ❌ Don’t say 是 + adjective in Chinese.

• ✅ Just use the adjective — usually with 很 to sound natural.

🎯 Interactive Practice

Can you fix the wrong sentences below?

1. ❌ 她是漂亮。Tā shì piàoliang。

2. ❌ 这道菜是好吃。Zhè dào cài shì hǎochī。

3. ❌ 你是聪明。Nǐ shì cōngming。

Correct answers:

1. ✅ 她很漂亮。 (Tā hěn piàoliang。) – She is pretty.

2. ✅ 这道菜很好吃。 (Zhè dào cài hěn hǎochī。) – This dish is delicious.

3. ✅ 你很聪明。 (Nǐ hěn cōngming。) – You are smart.

🚀 Final Reminder

• 📌 Adjectives are similar to verbs.

• 📌 No need for 是 — just say the adjective directly.

• 📌 Add 很 for a natural sound!

Happy learning! 😊