Word
我 家 在 这 个 城市 的 北 边， 去 公司 要 坐 地铁 一会儿。wǒ jiā zài zhè gè chéngshì de běi bian, qù gōngsī yào zuò dìtiě yíhuìr.
Meaning
My home is in the north of this city; to get to the company I need to take the subway for a while.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Breakdown of wǒ jiā zài zhè gè chéngshì de běi bian, qù gōngsī yào zuò dìtiě yíhuìr.
我wǒ
I
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.
Questions & Answers about wǒ jiā zài zhè gè chéngshì de běi bian, qù gōngsī yào zuò dìtiě yíhuìr.
Why is it 我家在这个城市的北边 and not something with 是, like 我是住在这个城市的北边?
Chinese usually states location with 在 + place, not with 是.
- 我家在这个城市的北边。
My home is in the north of this city.
Literally: my home + be-at + this city’s north side
Putting 是 here would sound unnatural. The basic pattern is:
- A 在 B（的 C） = A is at/in/on B (C of B)
e.g. 图书馆在学校的东边。
The library is on the east side of the school.
You can say 我住在这个城市的北边 (I live in the north of this city), but then 住在 is the verb phrase, not 是住在.
Why is it 我家 and not 我的家?
Both 我家 and 我的家 are grammatical, but 我家 is more natural in everyday speech.
- 我家 feels short, neutral, and very common:
我家在北边。 – My home is in the north. - 我的家 is longer and can sound slightly more emphatic or formal, or used when contrasting:
- 这不是我的家。 – This is not my home.
In most simple location sentences like this one, 我家 is preferred.
What is the function of 的 in 这个城市的北边?