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How to Say ‘Is’ in Simplified Chinese

的是

de shì

[de shì]

💬 Usage Tip: [的是] often comes after a verb phrase to point to 'the thing that ... is ...'. In [我听到的是], it sets up 'what I heard was ...'.

Phrase Breakdown

的

de

[de]

of

Indicates possession or association.

Example

这是我的。

This is mine.

是

shì

[shì]

is

Used to assert something about the subject.

Example

她是我的朋友。

She is my friend.

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