Questions & Answers about zhè lóu fùjìn hěn ānjìng.
Why is there no 是 (shì, “to be”) in this sentence, even though in English we say “is very quiet”?
In Chinese, many adjectives can function as verbs on their own; they are often called stative verbs.
So:
- 很安静 literally behaves like “(is) very quiet” without needing 是.
- The structure is: [subject] + 很 + adjective
- 这楼附近 = the area near this building (subject)
- 很安静 = is very quiet (predicate)
You generally don’t use 是 directly before a descriptive adjective in sentences like this.
✅ 这楼附近很安静。
❌ 这楼附近是安静。 (unnatural)
You only use 是 with adjectives in special structures (contrast, emphasis, or with a following 的, etc.).
Does 很 (hěn) really mean “very” here, or is it sometimes just a grammatical word?
In modern spoken Chinese, 很 in this pattern often serves two roles at once:
- Linking word between the subject and an adjective (making the sentence feel complete and natural).
- Degree adverb meaning “very / quite” – but often with weaker emphasis than English “very”.
So:
- 这楼附近很安静。
- Most of the time: natural way to say “it’s quiet around this building”.
- It may or may not feel strongly like “very”; context and intonation decide.
If you truly want strong emphasis, you can also use:
- 非常安静 – extremely quiet
- 特别安静 – especially quiet
But as a learner, it’s safe to remember:
- You almost always put 很 before an adjective in simple descriptive sentences.