# Special verbs with "很"

<SentenceQuiz>

- 我 _很_ **想** 你。
  <!-- - Wǒ _hěn_ **xiǎng** nǐ. -->
  - I really miss you.
- 他 _很_ **喜欢** 你。
  <!-- - Tā _hěn_ **xǐhuan** nǐ. -->
  - He really likes you.
- 你应该*很* **小心** 。
  <!-- - Nǐ yīnggāi _hěn_ **xiǎoxīn**. -->
  - You should be very careful.
- 我 _很_ **怕** 晚上 一个人 在家。
  <!-- - Wǒ _hěn_ **pà** wǎnshang yīgèrén zài jiā. -->
  - I fear staying home alone at night.
- 你 应该 _很_ **了解** 自己 的 孩子。
  <!-- - Nǐ yīnggāi _hěn_ **liǎojiě** zìjǐ de háizi. -->
  - You should know a lot about your child.
- 外国 人 _很_ **讨厌** 中国 的 公共 厕所。
  <!-- - Wàiguó rén _hěn_ **tǎoyàn** Zhōngguó de gōnggòng cèsuǒ. -->
  - Foreigners really hate public toilets in China.
- 你 两天 没 回家，妈妈 _很_ **担心** 你。
  <!-- - Nǐ liǎng tiān méi huíjiā, māma _hěn_ **dānxīn** nǐ. -->
  - You haven't gone home in two days. Mom is really worried about you.
- 父母 都 _很_ **希望** 我 能 上 一 个 好 大学。
  <!-- - Fùmǔ dōu _hěn_ **xīwàng** wǒ néng shàng yī gè hǎo dàxué. -->
  - Both of my parents really hope that I can go to a good college.

</SentenceQuiz>

<TOC>

- Level: [A2](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/A2_grammar_points) / [HSK3](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/HSK3_grammar_points)
- Similar to
  - [Expressing "excessively" with "太"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22excessively%22_with_%22tai%22) (A1)
  - [Simple "noun + adjective" sentences](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Simple_%22noun_%2B_adjective%22_sentences) (A1)
  - [Adjectives with "-极了"](../B1/极了.md) (B1)
- Used for: [Expressing quality](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_quality)
- Keywords: [很](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%BE%88)

</TOC>

Using 很 (hěn) to intensify verbs that express thoughts or feeling is really easy.

## Structure

Subj. + 很 + [Certain Verbs]

Certain "[psychological verbs](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Psychological_verb)" related to feelings or emotional sates can be modified with 很 (hěn) to increase their intensity. This is similar to using "really" or "very much" in English. Remember that this only applies to psychological verbs, such as:

- 想 (xiǎng) to think; to want; to miss
- 喜欢 (xǐhuan) to like
- 小心 (xiǎoxīn) to be careful
- 怕 (pà) to fear; to be afraid of
- 了解 (liǎojiě) to know a lot about
- 讨厌 (tǎoyàn) to hate
- 担心 (dānxīn) to worry about
- 希望 (xīwàng) to hope

## Examples

- 我 _很_ **想** 你。
  <!-- - Wǒ _hěn_ **xiǎng** nǐ. -->
  - I really miss you.
- 他 _很_ **喜欢** 你。
  <!-- - Tā _hěn_ **xǐhuan** nǐ. -->
  - He really likes you.
- 你应该*很* **小心** 。
  <!-- - Nǐ yīnggāi _hěn_ **xiǎoxīn**. -->
  - You should be very careful.
- 我 _很_ **怕** 晚上 一个人 在家。
  <!-- - Wǒ _hěn_ **pà** wǎnshang yīgèrén zài jiā. -->
  - I fear staying home alone at night.
- 你 应该 _很_ **了解** 自己 的 孩子。
  <!-- - Nǐ yīnggāi _hěn_ **liǎojiě** zìjǐ de háizi. -->
  - You should know a lot about your child.
- 外国 人 _很_ **讨厌** 中国 的 公共 厕所。
  <!-- - Wàiguó rén _hěn_ **tǎoyàn** Zhōngguó de gōnggòng cèsuǒ. -->
  - Foreigners really hate public toilets in China.
- 你 两天 没 回家，妈妈 _很_ **担心** 你。
  <!-- - Nǐ liǎng tiān méi huíjiā, māma _hěn_ **dānxīn** nǐ. -->
  - You haven't gone home in two days. Mom is really worried about you.
- 父母 都 _很_ **希望** 我 能 上 一 个 好 大学。
  <!-- - Fùmǔ dōu _hěn_ **xīwàng** wǒ néng shàng yī gè hǎo dàxué. -->
  - Both of my parents really hope that I can go to a good college.

Did you ever notice that some Chinese people with less-than-perfect English will use the phrase "very like?" Now you know why!

## See also

- [Emphasizing with "很是"](../C1/很是.md)
- [Expressing "excessively" with 太](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22excessively%22_with_tai)
- [The "最" superlative](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/The_%22zui%22_superlative)
- [Positive adjectives with "-极了"](../B1/极了.md)

## Sources and further reading

### Books

- [New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)](<https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC1)>) (p. 143) [→buy](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401)
- [New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)](<https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC1)(2nd_ed)>) (p. 166) [→buy](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235)