wǒmen juédìng zài zhè gè dìdiǎn jiànmiàn.

We decided to meet at this location.

Breakdown of wǒmen juédìng zài zhè gè dìdiǎn jiànmiàn.

• 这zhè: this
• 个gè: noun classifier
• 我们wǒmen: we
• 在zài: at
• 见面jiànmiàn: to meet
• 决定juédìng: to decide
• 地点dìdiǎn: location

Questions & Answers about wǒmen juédìng zài zhè gè dìdiǎn jiànmiàn.

In this sentence, is 决定 (juédìng) a verb or a noun, and what exactly does it do?

Here 决定 is a verb meaning “to decide”.

Structure:

• 我们 决定 在这个地点见面。
  = We decide / decided to meet at this location.

So:

• subject: 我们 (we)
• verb: 决定 (decide)
• what you decide (the “object” of 决定): 在这个地点见面 (to meet at this location)

决定 can also be a noun (“a decision”), e.g. 我的决定 (my decision), but in this sentence it is clearly used as a verb followed by an action.

In English I say “decide to meet”. Why is there no word for “to” after 决定 in Chinese?

Chinese doesn’t need a separate word like English “to” before another verb.

The pattern is simply:

• 决定 + [action]

Here:

• 决定 在这个地点见面
  literally: “decide at this location meet”

Some other examples:

• 我决定 学习汉语。
  I decided to study Chinese.
• 他们决定 明天出发。
  They decided to set off tomorrow.

So you just put the next action directly after 决定; no extra “to” word is used.

Why do we use 在 before 这个地点? Could we leave 在 out?

在 (zài) is a preposition here meaning “at / in / on”. The basic pattern is:

• 在 + place + Verb = do something at/in that place

In this sentence, the place phrase is:

• 在 这个 地点 = at this location

Without 在, the sentence would be:

• ✗ 我们决定 这个地点 见面。
  This is not natural; 这个地点 would just be sitting there without a clear role.

So 在 is needed to mark “at this location” clearly:

• 我们决定 在这个地点 见面。
  We decided to meet at this location.

What’s the difference between 这 and 这个? Why is it 这个地点 and not just 这地点?

In standard Mandarin, when you say “this NOUN”, you normally need a measure word (classifier) between 这 and the noun:

• 这 + 个 + 地点 = this location

So:

• 这 = “this” (demonstrative)
• 个 = measure word (very common, general classifier)
• 地点 = location

Patterns:

• 这 个 人 (this person)
• 这 本 书 (this book)
• 这 辆 车 (this car)
• 这 个 地点 (this location)

这地点 without a measure word is generally considered non-standard; you may hear 这地方 colloquially, but the “missing” measure word is more dialectal and not what learners should copy.

Why use 地点 (dìdiǎn) here and not 地方 (dìfāng) or 这里 (zhèlǐ)? What’s the difference?

All three relate to “place”, but with different feels:

1. 地点

   • More formal, more “neutral/location-like”.
   • Often used for specific sites of events, in announcements, plans, written language.
   • e.g. 比赛地点, 开会地点 (place of the match, place of the meeting)

2. 地方

   • Very common, general word for “place”.
   • Sounds more everyday than 地点.
   • e.g. 这个地方很安静。This place is very quiet.

3. 这里

   • Means “here” (this place where we are / will be).
   • e.g. 我们在这里见面。We’ll meet here.

In casual speech, many people would say:

• 我们决定 在这个地方见面。
• 我们决定 在这里见面。

在这个地点见面 sounds a bit more formal, like in a written notice or plan.

What’s the difference between 见 (jiàn) and 见面 (jiànmiàn), and why is 见面 used here?

见 and 见面 are related but not interchangeable:

1. 见 (to see / to meet [someone])

   • Transitive: it takes a direct object.
   • 我明天要 见老师。
     I’m going to see/meet the teacher tomorrow.
   • 你见过他吗？
     Have you seen/met him?

2. 见面 (to meet each other)

   • Literally “see face”.
   • Usually no direct object; it’s mutual.
   • 我们明天见面。 = We’ll meet (each other) tomorrow.
   • Often used with 跟 / 和 + person (not as an object, but as “with”):
     • 我明天跟他见面。I’m going to meet him (we’ll meet each other).

In 我们决定在这个地点见面, the focus is on mutual meeting, not “seeing somebody” as an object. That’s why 见面 is the natural choice.

Could I say 我们在这个地点决定见面 instead? How does the word order change the meaning?

Both are grammatical, but the meanings are slightly different:

1. 我们决定在这个地点见面。

   • Natural reading: “We decided that we will meet at this location.”
   • 在这个地点见面 is what was decided.

2. 我们在这个地点决定见面。

   • Natural reading: “We at this location decided to meet.”
     (i.e. we were physically at this place when we made the decision)
   • 在这个地点 modifies 决定, not 见面.

So:

• If you want to emphasize where you will meet, use the original:
  • 我们决定在这个地点见面。
• If you want to emphasize where you made the decision, then:
  • 我们在这个地点决定见面。

How is tense expressed here? How do I say clearly “we decided” in the past?

Mandarin doesn’t change the verb form for past, present, or future. 决定 stays the same. Past-ness is shown by context, time words, or aspect markers like 了 and 已经.

Some options:

• Context only (very common):
  昨天 我们决定在这个地点见面。
  Yesterday we decided to meet at this location.

• With 已经 (already) and/or 了:

  • 我们已经决定在这个地点见面了。
    We’ve already decided to meet at this location.

Be careful:

• 我们决定了在这个地点见面。 is possible, but 决定 often doesn’t need 了 directly after it; many speakers prefer to add 已经 or put 了 at the end of the sentence:
  • 我们已经决定在这个地点见面了。 ✔ more natural

How are the tones pronounced in 我们决定在这个地点见面?

Tones are:

• 我们 wǒmen (wǒ = 3rd tone, men = neutral)
• 决定 juédìng (jué = 2nd tone, dìng = 4th tone)
• 在 zài (4th tone)
• 这 zhè (4th tone; can weaken slightly in fast speech)
• 个 gè (4th tone; often neutral in fast speech: ge)
• 地点 dìdiǎn (dì = 4th tone, diǎn = 3rd tone)
• 见面 jiànmiàn (both 4th tone)

So the full string is:

• wǒ·men / jué·dìng / zài / zhè·ge / dì·diǎn / jiàn·miàn

Can I drop 我们 and just say 决定在这个地点见面?

Yes, if the subject “we” is clear from context, you can omit 我们:

• (After talking about you and your friends)
  决定在这个地点见面。
  (We) decided to meet at this location.

Mandarin often drops pronouns when it’s obvious who is being talked about. But if you want to make it clear that “we” (and not “they” or “I”) decided, keep 我们.

Is 个 always the right measure word for 地点? Could I use another one?

个 is the default, most common measure word in modern Mandarin, and it works fine with 地点:

• 一个地点 (one place / one location)
• 这个地点 (this location)

You may see other measure words in more formal or set phrases (e.g. 处, 处所), but for everyday use:

• 个 + 地点 is natural and safe,
• and in 这个地点 specifically, 个 is the normal choice.