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Breakdown of tā juéde zhè gè shìqíng zuì zhòngyào.
这zhè
this
个gè
noun classifier
Used when counting nouns or when specifying a specific instance of a noun.
There are also classifiers for people, for bound items such as books and magazines, for cups/glasses, etc.
The classifier 个 is a general one that can be used for any of these.
她tā
she
事情shìqíng
matter
重要zhòngyào
important
觉得juéde
to think
最zuì
most
Questions & Answers about tā juéde zhè gè shìqíng zuì zhòngyào.
Is 个 the right measure word here? Should it be 件 instead?
- The most idiomatic choice with 事/事情 is 件: 这件事 or 这件事情.
- 这个事情 is widely heard in Mainland colloquial speech and is acceptable, but many teachers prefer 这件事 as the standard.
- Short and very common: 这个事 or 这件事. If you want the safest, most neutral phrasing, use 这件事.
Can I say 这事情 without a measure word?
You’ll hear 这事情 in some regions, but in standard Mandarin, a demonstrative like 这/那 normally takes a measure word: say 这件事 (best) or 这个事 (colloquial).
What’s the difference between 事, 事情, and 事儿?
- 事 (shì): general “matter/affair”; very common in both speech and writing. Example: 这件事.
- 事情 (shìqíng/shì·qing): fuller form; sounds a bit more formal or explicit; also very common.
- 事儿 (shìr): colloquial with erhua (northern flavor). Common in Beijing/colloquial speech: 这事儿 or 这件事儿.
Do I need 是 before 最重要? Should I say 她觉得这件事是最重要的?
- 她觉得这件事最重要: perfectly natural; adjective as predicate, no 是 needed.
- 她觉得这件事是最重要的: also correct; adds emphasis or a clearer “the most important one” sense. The 的 nominalizes the adjective.
- Avoid 是最重要 without 的; it sounds incomplete.
Why is there no 的 after 重要 here?
- Predicative adjectives don’t take 的: 这件事最重要.
- Use 的 when the adjective modifies a noun or is nominalized:
- Attributive: 最重要的事情 = “the most important matter”
- Nominalized: 最重要的是… = “The most important thing is …”
Should there be 很 before 重要? I learned adjectives need 很.
- With a bare adjective, Mandarin often inserts a degree adverb like 很: 这件事很重要.
- But with a superlative 最, you do not add 很: 最重要 already marks degree. So your sentence is fine without 很.
What’s the difference between 觉得, 认为, 以为, and 感觉?
- 觉得 (juéde): “feel/think” based on subjective impression; very common and neutral.
Example: 我觉得这件事很重要。 - 认为 (rènwéi): “hold the opinion that”; more reasoned/formal.
Example: 专家认为这个计划可行。 - 以为 (yǐwéi): “assume/think (but be wrong)”. Often implies a mistaken belief.
Example: 我以为他会来，结果没来。 - 感觉 (gǎnjué): as a verb “to feel/sense” (physical/emotional), or a noun “feeling”. As an opinion verb it’s less direct than 觉得.
Example: 我感觉他最近压力很大。
Any pronunciation pitfalls in this sentence?
- 觉得 is juéde; the second syllable is neutral tone (not júe‑dé). Character: 得, pronounced neutral here.
- 这个 is zhège; in colloquial speech you’ll also hear zhèi ge; 个 is often a neutral tone here.
- 事情 may be pronounced shìqíng (standard) or with a neutral second syllable shì·qing in casual speech.
- 最重要 is zuì zhòngyào (4th + 4th + 4th); there’s no mandatory tone sandhi change.
- The 重 in 重要 is zhòng (not chóng).
Does 最 need an “of/in …” phrase like English “the most … of all”?
No. 最 can stand alone when the comparison set is obvious from context. If you want to spell it out, add a phrase:
- 在所有选项里，这件事最重要。 = “Among all the options, this is the most important.”
- 对她来说，这件事最重要。 = “For her, this is the most important.”
How do I say “least important” or “not the most important”?
- Least important: 最不重要.
Example: 她觉得这个细节最不重要。 - Not the most important: 不是最重要的.
Example: 她觉得这件事不是最重要的。 - To negate the opinion itself: 她不觉得这件事最重要。
How do I express time (past/present) with 觉得 since there’s no tense?
Add time expressions or aspect where appropriate:
- Past viewpoint: 她以前/当时/那时候觉得这件事最重要。
- Present viewpoint: 她现在觉得这件事最重要。
- Change of stance: 她觉得这件事最重要了 (now she thinks it’s most important; indicates a change).
Can I change the word order, like topicalizing the thing she thinks is important?
Yes. Topic–comment structures are natural:
- 这件事，她觉得最重要。
- Or focus perspective: 对她来说，这件事最重要。
The meaning stays the same; the emphasis shifts to the topic or the viewpoint.
Can I drop 她 or 这 if context is clear?
Yes, subject and topic dropping is common in discourse:
- If “she” is already known: 觉得这件事最重要。
- If the matter is known: 她觉得最重要。
Be careful in writing to maintain clarity.
Any quick alternatives to 重要, and their feel?
- 关键 (guānjiàn): “crucial/key”; slightly stronger or more specific than 重要.
Example: 她觉得这件事最关键。 - 要紧 (yàojǐn): colloquial “urgent/important.”
Example: 这件事很要紧。 - Very formal: 最为重要.
Example: 她认为这件事最为重要。
How would I say “She thinks this is more important (than something else)”?
Use 更 and optionally make the comparison explicit:
- Implicit: 她觉得这件事更重要。
- Explicit: 她觉得这件事比别的事更重要。
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