Chinese Verb "是" (shì)

to be

Linking verb

Basic Usage

Affirmative

Subject + 是 + noun/adjective

我是学生。

Wǒ shì xuéshēng.

I am a student.

Question

Subject + 是 + noun + 吗？

你是老师吗？

Nǐ shì lǎoshī ma?

Are you a teacher?

Completed Action (了 (le))

Past with 是…的

Used to emphasize details of a past event

他是昨天来的。

Tā shì zuótiān lái de.

He came yesterday (it was yesterday that he came).

Experience (过 (guò))

Experience

是 does not typically combine with 过

他以前是医生。

Tā yǐqián shì yīshēng.

He was a doctor before.

Ongoing Action (在/着)

Current state

是 expresses a state, not an ongoing action

现在是三点。

Xiànzài shì sān diǎn.

It is three o'clock now.

Future / Intent (会/要/想)

Future with 会

Subject + 会 + 是

明天会是晴天。

Míngtiān huì shì qíngtiān.

Tomorrow will be sunny.

Negation (不/没)

Negative with 不

Subject + 不是 + noun

我不是美国人。

Wǒ bù shì Měiguó rén.

I am not American.

Common Compounds & Related Words

Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning
是不是	shì bu shì	whether or not / is it or isn't it
就是	jiù shì	precisely / exactly
还是	háishì	or (in questions)
但是	dànshì	but / however

Example Sentences

这是我的书。

Zhè shì wǒ de shū.

This is my book.

她是我的朋友。

Tā shì wǒ de péngyǒu.

She is my friend.

北京是中国的首都。

Běijīng shì Zhōngguó de shǒudū.

Beijing is the capital of China.