Have you ever felt that Chinese sentence order just feels different to English, but you couldn’t quite pinpoint it?

Well, the good news is you’re not imagining it.

Chinese sentence order really is different to English and this is one awesome example that should help you rewire your brain when it sees Chinese text.

Chinese has a very different understanding of magnitude compared to English.

In English we like to start with the small stuff and gradually get bigger.

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But in Chinese, they go from big to small

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Here are some examples:

• 中国，上海， (Country, City)

In English we’d say
Shanghai, China (City, Country)

• 2025年10月3号 (Year, Month, Date)

In English we’d say

3rd of October 2025 (Date, Month, Year)

• 一年一次 (Time range, Frequency)

In English we’d say
Once a year (Frequency, Time range)

• 早上十点 （Time range, Hour)

In English we’d say

10 in the morning (Hour, Time range)

Can you see the pattern going from BIG—→ Small?

It’s patterns like this that make Chinese so distinctly Chinese, and not just something you get from translating word for word from English.

If you want to get better at speaking Chinese, the key is to be observant and notice patterns like these.

They build your mental map of the language and make you a quicker and more natural speaker.

If you’re tired of getting nowhere with HSK textbooks and want to learn to speak Chinese, quicker and more naturally, we’ve got you covered!

After trialling 1-to-1 sessions, Sinosphere, has finally launched its own 1-to-1 speaking programme. Perfect for students who are tired of getting nowhere with a textbook and want to speak Chinese with a fun and interactive media-based curriculum!

All your speaking sessions will be based entirely on native Chinese media, from comedy shows, interviews, film excerpts and more. In each session laoshi helps you to absorb 2-4 new colloquial patterns, that you can instantly action into your Chinese speech to impress your colleagues, family and friends!

Sign up to express interest below 👇🏻

sinosphere.co.uk