Learn Hardcore Chinese: Wǒ juéde měige rén dōu yīnggāi yǒu zìyóu biǎodá zìjǐ yìjiàn de quánlì. - I think everyone should have the right to freely express their own opinions.

觉得 is “to feel / to have an opinion that…”. It often carries a sense of personal impression or subjective judgment.
- 我觉得这个主意很好。= I think/feel this idea is good.
想 has several meanings: “to think,” “to want,” “to miss,” “to consider”. As “think,” it’s more like “to consider / to have in mind,” and it can also sound more purposeful or logical.

In a sentence about your personal view on a general principle (human rights, freedom of expression), 我觉得 is the most natural way to say “I think / I feel that…”.
我想 would not be wrong, but it sounds slightly less like giving an opinion and more like “I suppose / I’m thinking that…”.

Why do we use both 每个 and 都? Isn’t that redundant?

每个 (měi ge) = “every (single) one”
都 (dōu) = “all / both / all of them”

In Chinese, it is very common (and natural) to combine 每 + measure word with 都:

每个人都知道。= Everyone knows.
每个学生都来了。= Every student came.

每个 highlights each individual, one by one.
都 highlights that the whole set is included.

So 每个人都应该… is like saying:
“Each person, all of them, should …”

You could technically drop 都, and 每个人应该有… is still understandable, but it sounds less smooth and a bit less idiomatic. Native speakers almost always say 每个人都….

Why do we use 有 here for “have the right,” instead of something like 是?

In Chinese, 有 (yǒu) literally means “to have / to possess.”

The phrase 有…权利 = “to have … rights / the right to …”

他有受教育的权利。= He has the right to receive an education.
我们有选择的权利。= We have the right to choose.

是 means “to be” and is not used in this pattern. You don’t say 是权利 for “have the right”; that would sound like “is the right,” which is incorrect here.

So 应该有自由表达自己意见的权利 = “should have the right to freely express one’s opinions.”

What exactly does 都 modify here: 每个人都应该有… or something else?

都 in this sentence belongs to the subject phrase 每个人:

每个人都应该有自由表达自己意见的权利。

Structure-wise:

每个人 = every person
都 = all (of them)
应该 = should
有 = have

So the underlying pattern is:

(Plural-like subject) + 都 + (verb / predicate)

For example:

他们都很高。= They are all tall.
学生都应该努力学习。= Students all should study hard.

Here: 每个人都 connects “every person” with “should have…”.

Why isn’t it 自由地表达 instead of 自由表达? Don’t adverbs usually take 地?

The full “textbook” adverbial form would be:

自由地表达 = to express (something) freely.

However, Chinese often drops 地 when the meaning is very clear and the word is short and common. Many adjectives can directly modify verbs without 地, especially in casual or spoken language:

大声(地)说 = speak loudly
认真(地)学习 = study seriously
清楚(地)说明 = explain clearly

So:

自由表达 and 自由地表达 are both acceptable.
自由表达 sounds natural and somewhat more concise; 自由地表达 sounds a bit more formal or “spelled out.”

In this sentence, 自由表达自己意见的权利 is very natural as-is.

What does the 的 in 自由表达自己意见的权利 do?

Here 的 turns the entire verb phrase 自由表达自己意见 into an adjective-like phrase that modifies 权利.

Structure:

自由表达自己意见 = to freely express one’s opinions
自由表达自己意见的 = “(the) right/thing that is ‘freely expressing one’s opinions’”
权利 = right

So 自由表达自己意见的权利 literally means:

“the right [that is to] freely express one’s opinions”

This is how Chinese forms something like an English relative clause:

我喜欢说真话的人。= I like people who tell the truth.
他没有投票的权利。= He doesn’t have the right to vote.

In all of these, 的 links a describing phrase to a noun, similar to “who/that/which …” in English.

Why use 自己 instead of 我 for “my own opinions”?

自己 (zìjǐ) is a reflexive pronoun: “self / oneself.” It often refers back to the subject of the sentence.

In this sentence:

Subject: 每个人 = every person
So 自己 naturally refers to “each person themselves.”

If you used 我 (my), it would be “my opinions,” but the sentence is talking about a general principle (everyone, not only me):

每个人都应该有自由表达自己意见的权利。
= Every person should have the right to freely express their own opinions.

自己 makes the statement general and applies to whoever 每个人 is:

学生应该对自己的选择负责。
= Students should be responsible for their own choices.

Here 自己 = whoever the subject is (students).

What’s the difference between 意见 and other words like 想法 or 看法?

All three can relate to “opinions / ideas,” but there are nuances:

意见 (yìjiàn)
- Often: opinions, views, feedback, objections.
- Used in more formal or serious contexts, including “comments / suggestions / criticism.”
- 有什么意见？= Any comments / objections?
想法 (xiǎngfa)
- Literally: ways of thinking; ideas.
- Often more personal, informal: “what you’re thinking / ideas in your mind.”
- 说说你的想法。= Tell me your thoughts/ideas.
看法 (kànfǎ)
- Literally: way of seeing; viewpoint.
- Often used for “viewpoint on an issue / perspective.”
- 你对这个问题有什么看法？= What’s your view on this issue?

In the phrase 表达自己意见, 意见 is a very natural choice because “freedom of expression” in the sense of human rights is usually about expressing your opinions, views, positions, not just casual ideas.

What is the difference between 权利 and 权力? Why use 权利 here?

They are pronounced the same (quánlì) but mean different things:

权利 = rights (entitlements under law, rules, or morality)
- e.g. 人权 = human rights
- 受教育的权利 = the right to receive education
权力 = power (authority, control over others)
- 政治权力 = political power
- 他有很大的权力。= He has a lot of power.

In this sentence, we are clearly talking about rights people should have, not the power to control others. So 权利 is the correct word:

自由表达自己意见的权利 = the right to freely express one’s opinions.

Can 我觉得 be omitted? How does that change the meaning or tone?

Yes, you can omit 我觉得:

我觉得每个人都应该有自由表达自己意见的权利。
每个人都应该有自由表达自己意见的权利。

Difference:

With 我觉得:
- You’re explicitly marking it as your personal opinion.
- Tone: more subjective, like “In my opinion, everyone should…”
Without 我觉得:
- It sounds more like a general statement or principle.
- Tone: more objective or assertive, like stating a fact or moral truth.

Both are common; it depends on whether you want to present it as personal opinion or as a general claim.

Why does 应该 come before 有? Could you say 有应该…的权利?

The basic word order for modal verbs like 应该 (should) is:

Subject + modal verb + main verb

So:

每个人都应该有自由表达自己意见的权利。
= Everyone should have the right …

应该 is the modal verb; 有 is the main verb “to have.”
You don’t normally say 有应该…的权利 in this meaning. That would sound like “have a right that should …”, which is not what you mean here.

Correct patterns:

他应该做作业。= He should do homework.
我们应该尊重别人。= We should respect others.
每个人都应该有这个权利。= Everyone should have this right.

Is there any tense marking here? How would you say this in the past or about the future?

Mandarin does not mark tense the same way English does. The sentence as given is tense-neutral — it states a general truth or principle.

我觉得每个人都应该有自由表达自己意见的权利。
= I think everyone should have the right to freely express their opinions.
(This can be understood in present, past, or general time.)

To make time more explicit, you usually add time words:

过去，不是每个人都有自由表达自己意见的权利。
= In the past, not everyone had the right to freely express their opinions.
将来，我希望每个人都能够有自由表达自己意见的权利。
= In the future, I hope everyone can have the right to freely express their opinions.

The core pattern 应该有…的权利 itself doesn’t change form for tense.

Could we say 人人 or 所有人 instead of 每个人? Would that change the meaning?

Yes, you can, with small nuance differences:

每个人
- “Every person,” focuses slightly more on individuals one by one.
- Very common and neutral.
人人
- Literally “every person / everyone.”
- Often used in more formal, literary, or slogan-like contexts.
- 人人都应该… = Everyone should …
所有人
- Literally “all people / everyone.”
- Slightly more like grouping everyone together as a whole.
- 所有人都应该… = All people should …

All three work in this sentence:

每个人都应该有自由表达自己意见的权利。
人人都应该有自由表达自己意见的权利。
所有人都应该有自由表达自己意见的权利。

每个人都 is probably the most neutral and commonly used in everyday speech.