zhè gè fángjiān tài dà le.

This room is too big.

Breakdown of zhè gè fángjiān tài dà le.

• 这zhè: this
• 个gè: noun classifier
• 太tài: too
• 了le: change-of-state particle
• 房间fángjiān: room
• 大dà: big

Questions & Answers about zhè gè fángjiān tài dà le.

Why is there no word for is (like “is/are”) in this Chinese sentence?

In Chinese, many adjectives act like verbs; they already mean “to be + adjective.”

So:

• 这个房间大。 literally = “This room big.” → understood as “This room is big.”
• In your sentence, 太大了 is “(is) too big,” but the “is” is built into 大.

The verb 是 is usually used to link nouns (or pronouns) to nouns:

• 他是老师。 = “He is a teacher.” But with a simple adjective, you normally don’t use 是:
  Not 这个房间是大。 (this is wrong in normal Mandarin).

What does 个 (gè) do here, and why do we need it?

个 is a measure word / classifier. In Chinese, when you use:

• a number (一, 两, 三…)
• a demonstrative (这 “this”, 那 “that”)

with a noun, you normally must insert a measure word between them.

Pattern:

• 这 + 个 + 房间 = this + (classifier) + room → “this room”
• 三 + 本 + 书 = three + (classifier for books) + book → “three books”

So 个 doesn’t translate directly; it’s required by Chinese grammar in this position.

Is 个 the best measure word for 房间, or should it be 间?

Both are used, but they’re slightly different:

• 个 is the most general measure word; it’s safe almost everywhere:
  • 这个房间 – very common, perfectly natural.
• 间 is a specific measure word for rooms:
  • 一间房 / 一间房间 / 这间房 – also natural.

In everyday speech, 这个房间 is extremely common and perfectly correct.
If you want to sound a bit more precise or “textbook,” you can say 这间房 or 这一间房间.

Could I drop 个 and say 这房间太大了?

People do say 这房间太大了 in spoken Chinese, and it’s understandable.

However, for learners, the standard pattern is to include the measure word:

• 这个房间太大了。

Leaving out the classifier is much more restricted and can sound dialectal or informal.
If you’re not sure, keep 个: 这个房间太大了。

What exactly does 太 (tài) mean here? Is it always negative?

Basic meaning of 太 is “too / excessively.” So literally:

• 太大了 = “too big (excessively big).”

Often, that implies a problem or complaint:

• 这个房间太大了。 → “This room is too big (for my needs / I don’t like that it’s so big).”
• 太贵了。 → “It’s too expensive.”

But in exclamations, especially about good things, 太…了 can feel more like “so / extremely”:

• 太好了！ = “That’s great!” / “Awesome!”

So it’s often negative, but context can turn it into a strong positive exclamation.

What does 了 (le) do here? Is it past tense?

Here, 了 is not marking past tense. There are two common 了’s in Chinese; this one is a sentence-final particle.

In the pattern 太 + adjective + 了, sentence-final 了:

• Completes the exclamation
• Emphasizes the high degree (“really too …!”)
• Often suggests a change or new realization (“Now it’s (too) big,” “I find it (too) big”).

So:

• 这个房间太大了。 ≈ “This room is just too big!”
• It’s not saying “was too big (in the past).”

Can I remove 了 and just say 这个房间太大?

Usually, no—it will sound incomplete or odd in everyday speech.

The natural pattern is:

• 太 + adjective + 了: 这个房间太大了。

Without 了, 太大 often needs something after it:

• 这个房间太大，我不喜欢。
  “This room is too big; I don’t like it.”

So for a stand-alone sentence, keep 了: 太大了。 / 这个房间太大了。

How is this different from 这个房间很大?

Compare:

• 这个房间很大。
  → “This room is big.”
  Neutral description (often just stating a fact). Here 很 can sometimes feel almost like a “default” link between subject and adjective, not necessarily “very.”

• 这个房间太大了。
  → “This room is too big!”
  Stronger, often with evaluation/complaint or surprise.

So:

• 很大 = big / quite big (often neutral).
• 太大了 = too big / excessively big (more emotional).

Why isn’t there any word like 的 between 这个 and 房间?

In Chinese, when you have:

• a demonstrative (这, 那, 这个, 那个) directly modifying a noun,
• and there’s no extra descriptive phrase in between,

you don’t use 的.

So:

• 这个房间 (correct) – “this room”
• Not 这个的房间 (wrong).

You use 的 when you have an attributive phrase:

• 我喜欢的房间 – “the room that I like.”
• 那个很大的房间 – “that very big room.” (here 很大的 is an adjective phrase before 房间, so 的 is needed after 大)

What are the tones and pronunciation for this whole sentence?

Standard pronunciation with tones:

• 这 zhè – 4th tone
• 个 ge – often neutral tone here (spoken: zhège or zhèige)
• 房间 fángjiān – 2nd + 1st tones
• 太 tài – 4th tone
• 大 dà – 4th tone
• 了 le – neutral tone here

So one common way of saying it:

• zhè·ge fángjiān tài dà·le

Note: Many speakers say zhèige (with 个 reduced to a very light, almost merged syllable).

Can I just say 太大了！ by itself?

Yes.

If the context is clear (e.g., you just walked into the room and everyone knows what you’re talking about), 太大了！ on its own works as:

• “It’s too big!”
• “Way too big!”

It’s a common exclamation pattern: 太 + adjective + 了！

How would I say “This room is not too big”?

Two useful options:

1. 这个房间不大。
   Literally “This room not big.”
   → Often understood as “The room isn’t big” (could be “it’s small-ish” or at least “not large”).

2. 这个房间不太大。
   Literally “This room is not too big.”
   → Closer to the English nuance “not too big / not that big,” often a bit softer, more neutral or positive (e.g. “The size is ok.”).

What’s the difference between 房间 and 房子?

• 房间 (fángjiān) = room (a single room inside a building)

  • 这个房间太大了。 – “This room is too big.”

• 房子 (fángzi) = house / building (the whole unit)

  • 这个房子太大了。 – “This house is too big.”

So use:

• 房间 when you mean one room;
• 房子 when you mean the entire house or dwelling.