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Learn Hardcore Chinese: zhège rènwu hěn zhòngyào. - This task is very important.

Hardcore Chinese
/Going out for karaoke with friends
/zhège rènwu hěn zhòngyào.

zhège rènwu hěn zhòngyào.

这个zhège　任务rènwu　很hěn　重要zhòngyào。zhège rènwu hěn zhòngyào.

This task is very important.

Breakdown of zhège rènwu hěn zhòngyào.

重要zhòngyàozhòngyào

这个zhègezhège

任务rènwurènwu

Questions & Answers about zhège rènwu hěn zhòngyào.

Why is there a 个 in 这个任务?

个 is a measure word (also called a classifier).

In Mandarin, when you say this + noun or that + noun, you usually need a measure word between them:

这 + 个 + 任务
那 + 个 + 人
这 + 本 + 书

So 这个任务 literally looks like:

这 = this
个 = a general measure word
任务 = task / mission

For many nouns, 个 is the most common general classifier, and it works fine here.

Can I say just 这任务 instead of 这个任务?

In standard Mandarin, the usual form is 这个任务.

Sometimes in casual speech, especially in some regional styles, people may drop the measure word and say something like 这任务, but learners should generally use 这个任务 because it is the safest and most standard choice.

So for now, treat 这个任务 as the normal pattern.

Why is 很 used here? Does it mean very important?

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Not necessarily.

In Mandarin, when an adjective acts as the predicate of a sentence, 很 is often used even when the meaning is just plain descriptive, not strongly emphatic.

So:

这个任务很重要。 usually means This task is important.

It does not always mean This task is very important in a strong emotional sense.

If you want to make it clearly more emphatic, you could say:

这个任务非常重要。 = This task is very important.
这个任务特别重要。 = This task is especially important.

A useful beginner rule is:

Noun + 很 + adjective often sounds natural for simple description.

Can I say 这个任务重要 without 很?

Yes, but it depends on context.

这个任务重要 is grammatically possible, but it often sounds more contrastive, emphatic, or like you are making a stronger judgment in context.

For example, it might sound like:

This task is important (as opposed to some other task)
This task matters

For neutral everyday description, 这个任务很重要 is usually the most natural.

Is 重要 a verb or an adjective?

重要 is an adjective meaning important.

In Mandarin, adjectives can often function directly as predicates, so you do not need a separate word for is the way you do in English.

English:

This task is important.

Chinese:

这个任务很重要。

There is no 是 here because important is an adjective, not a noun.

Why isn’t there a 是 in this sentence?

Because 是 is usually used to link a subject with a noun phrase, not with an adjective in this kind of sentence.

Compare:

这是任务。 = This is a task.
(是 links to a noun)
这个任务很重要。 = This task is important.
(重要 is an adjective, so 是 is normally not used)

If you say 这个任务是重要, that sounds unnatural in ordinary Mandarin.

How should I pronounce 这个? Is the second syllable full-tone?

In normal speech, 这个 is usually pronounced zhè ge, with:

这 = fourth tone
个 = often a neutral tone here

So it sounds lighter than a full gè.

Although dictionaries may show the full tone of 个 when it stands alone, in 这个, the second syllable is very commonly neutral in natural speech.

Why is 任务 written rènwu and not rènwù?

Because the second syllable wu in 任务 is commonly pronounced with a neutral tone in standard speech.

So:

任 = fourth tone: rèn
务 = often neutral tone here: wu

This is common in many two-syllable Mandarin words, where the second syllable becomes lighter.

How do I pronounce 重要 correctly? Is the first syllable zhòng or chóng?

In this word, it is zhòngyào.

重 can have more than one pronunciation in Chinese.
In 重要 meaning important, it is zhòng.

So:

重 = fourth tone: zhòng
要 = fourth tone: yào

Be careful not to read it as chóngyào, which would be incorrect here.

What is the basic word order of this sentence?

The structure is:

这个任务 = topic/subject: this task
很重要 = predicate: is important

So the pattern is:

Subject + 很 + Adjective

This is a very common Mandarin sentence pattern, for example:

这本书很有意思。 = This book is interesting.
那个地方很漂亮。 = That place is beautiful.
今天很忙。 = Today is busy / I’m busy today.

Does 任务 mean exactly the same thing as task?

Often yes, but its range can be a little broader depending on context.

任务 can mean:

task
assignment
mission

It is often used for something that has a clear goal, duty, or responsibility attached to it.

So 这个任务很重要 could fit many situations, such as:

a work assignment
a school task
a project duty
an official mission

Could this sentence be used in formal and informal situations?

Yes. 这个任务很重要。 is neutral and natural in both spoken and written Mandarin.

It works well in:

everyday conversation
classroom language
workplace discussions
written instructions or reports

If you wanted to sound more formal or forceful, you might choose a stronger word such as:

这个任务非常重要。
这项任务十分重要。

But the original sentence is already completely normal and appropriate.

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