Sentence structure examples

Everything in parentheses, (), are additional gestures or facial expressions.

How are you?

You (bend slightly forward) how? You.

How do you feel?

You feel how? (tilt head to the side) You.

How have you been so far? / How have you been?

You how since? You.

I am fine

Me fine (2 thumbs up and smile).

Hey, what is going on?

(Do a small "where" gesture)

This is usually used in a close or intimate setting, like a friend or buddy. It is informal.

How old are you?

You old (raise eyebrows)? You.
You age (raise eyebrows)? You.

Are you in a hurry?

You time leave (raise eyebrows and look more intensely)? You.

I have some time

Time fine (shake or nod your head depending on the question).

Where do you work or study?

You where work or study (raise eyebrow)? You.

Where is your office or school?

Your office or school where? You.

Where will you be visiting during Chinese New Year?

CNY you visit where (raise eyebrow)? You.

Oh dear. Valentine's Day clashes with reunion dinner

(Form an O shape with your mouth and cover it with both hands) Valentine's Day, CNY reunion dinner clash.

Where do I meet you?

I meet you where? You.

What time is our meeting? / What time do I meet you?

We meet time? / I meet you time? You.

Which part of the MRT station do I meet you?

MRT station (point to the part) where I meet you? You.

Let's say we meet at 2 o'clock

(Show uncertainty in your face) 2 (wiggle the 2 a bit) we meet (thumbs up).

Where do you travel this time?

Now you fly where? You.

How many countries have you been to?

You go how many countries since?

Have you brought your passport?

Passport you have? You. (gaze intensely)

I have brought my passport and settled visa too

Passport have and visa settled finished.

I forgot to bring my passport

(Shocked facial expression) Passport forgot.

I have already told you, and you never listen

(Angry facial expression, hands on hips) I told (repeat the gesture a multiple times) you (use two hands) many times (count up the number of times) and you never listen (use two hands).

Ali is giving a book to Siti

(Point right) Ali (point left) Siti give (from right to left) book.

I ask Rama why he is crying

(Point left) Rama ask (towards left) why he cry.

Ann is looking at me

(Point right) Ann look (from right to self).

I flew from Australia

(Point right) Australia flew (from right to self).

I am going from here to the school

(Point left) School I go (point to the left).

The dog bite my leg

Dog bite leg (do the "bite" gesture on your leg).

Please wash your face

Please wash (do the "wash" gesture on your face).

He pushed my head

He pushed (push your head).

Who is he/she?

(Point to person) Boy/Girl who?

Where did you learn sign language?

You learn sign language where?
Sign language, you learn where?

Excuse me, are you deaf?

Excuse me, you deaf?

Yes, I am Deaf. No I am hearing

Yes, me deaf. No, me hearing.

What is your name?

What your name? You.
Your name what? You.

Nice to meet you

Nice meet you.

If I am sick, I will leave early

If I sick, I leave early will.

I washed the car

I wash car finish.
Car I wash finish.

I can't go

I can't go.
Go, I can't.

I don't want to join

I don't want join.
Join, I don't want.

Who is that girl? That girl is my sister

(Point to the girl) Girl who? (Point to the girl) my sister.

Have you eaten already? Yes both of us have. No I haven't

You eat already. Yes we finish. No I have not.

Who is your teacher?

Your teacher who?

What time is it?

Time what?
What time?

It's 4 o'clock in the afternoon

4 o'clock afternoon.

Are you married?

You married?

Yes I am married. No, I am single

Yes, I married. No, I single.

I passed the test. How? I studied hard

Test I passed. How? I studied (intensely).

I have no children

No children

Do you have time now?

Now you have time?

I don't have time

No time.

I'm going home

I go home.

If it rains today, the game will be cancelled

If today rain, game cancelled will.

If it rains today, where will you go?

If today rain, where you go will?

If it rains today, are you going to leave?

If today rain, you go leave?

If the milk is cheap, I will buy it

If milk cheap, I will buy.

I finally found that key

(Point to the key) Key, I finally found finish.

What time is it now?

Now what time?

It is 3 o'clock

3 o'clock afternoon.

What time does the class start?

Class start when?
When class start?

The game begins at 9pm and ends at 11pm

Game begin 9 night, end 11 night.
Game start 9 night - 11 night.
Game start 9 night, finish 11 night.

I work from 8am to 6pm

I work 8 morning - 6 night.

Last week I met my good friends

Last week I met good friends.

Every day she goes home at 9pm

Every day she go home 9 night.

When can we have dinner?

We dinner when?

I have been working since last night

Since last night, I work.

The school was founded in 1965

Year 1965 school build.

Yesterday, we went to watch the Formula One race

Yesterday, we go watch F1.

Meet you in 4 weeks' time

4 weeks later meet you.

Come for a drink this coming Saturday night

This Saturday night come drink.

Her husband fetched her home last Sunday afternoon

Last Sunday afternoon (point right) husband fetch (point left) home.

It took me 6 days for me to finish my task

6 days I finish work.

How much do you have now?

Now how much you have?
Now you have how much?

I found a $10 note on the floor

(Point to the floor) $10 note I find finish.

I dream of being rich

I dream rich.

How much do you spend every month?

Every month, how much you spend?
Every month, you spend how much?

I aim to earn $1,000,000 before I reach 30

Before 30, I aim earn $1 million.

You have to save $500 every month

Every month you must save $500.

She wants to borrow $1,200 from me

She want borrow 1 thousand 2 hundred dollars from me.

What?! It costs $100

What?! (big sign) (Point at item) cost $100.

I have run out of money

No money.

My income tax for year 2018 is high

Year 2018, my work earn tax high.

It costs a bomb

(Point at item) expensive.

I have to work for 20 years to pay off my loan

20 years, I working pay off my loan.

The blue thick book costs $8.20

(Point to book) Book, blue, thick, cost $8.20.

I give $5 to each of my two sons for lunch daily

Daily lunch, both (CL-2) sons, I give, $5 (to one son), $5 (to the other son).

So cheap! This ice cream costs only 5 cents

(Point to ice cream) ice cream cheap (exaggerated), only 5 cents.

What food do you want for lunch?

Lunch what food you want?

Do you want to eat noodle soup?

Noodle soup you want eat?

He wants to drink coffee with milk

Boy (point to person) want drink coffee with milk.

The chicken rice is delicious

Chicken rice delicious.

What is your favourite fruit?

Your favourite fruit what?

Teh tarik costs $2.10

Teh tarik cost $2.10.

My sister likes to eat fish soup

Fish soup, my sister like eat.

Are you free tonight? Let's eat out

Tonight you free? Let's eat out.

She loves home-cooked food

(Point to person) Girl love home cooked food.

I dislike drinking milk

Milk I dislike.

May I have a glass of cold water?

Cold water please.

He doesn't know how to use chopsticks. Please pass him a fork and a spoon

Chopstick (point to person) boy don't how use. Please pass him fork (left side) spoon (right side).

I am very full, so I can't eat any more

I very full, cannot eat more.

All food (left side) drink (right side) we share pay.
All food (left side) drink (right side) we share cost.

She likes to eat fruits after dinner daily

Daily dinner finish (point to person) girl like eat fruits.

Where do you want to go today?

Today where you want go?

I cycled to Tampines Library yesterday

Yesterday, Tampines Library I cycle, finish.

He walks fast

(Point at person) Boy walk (do the sign fast).

He walks slowly

(Point at person) Boy walk (do the sign slow).

See you at Ang Mo Kio market today

Today see you AMK market.

I go Marina Bay Sands by car

I drive car go Marina Bay Sands.

Where shall we meet tomorrow?

Tomorrow we meet where?

She is travelling around the city by bus

(Point to person) Girl travel around city bus.

The family went by MRT from Ang Mo Kio to Tampines

CL-Claw (right side) AMK, family take MRT train CL-3 (move the CL-3 from the right side to the left side) CL-Claw (left side) Tampines.

Hannah will go swimming at the beach

Hannah go beach swim will.

They will have lunch at McDonald's

They lunch MacDonald's will.

The train was crowded

Train crowd.

We go to a disco to listen to music and dance

We go disco listen music (on the right side), dance (on the left side).

How can I get to the zoo from here?

Here how go zoo?

Come for the meeting

Come meeting.
Meeting come.

I wanted to visit the zoo, but it was closed today

Today I want visit zoo, but close.

I have a car

I have car.

I need to buy a book

I need buy book.

My mother is busy

Mother busy.

She always works late

She always work late.

Where do we meet?

We meet where?
Where we meet?

When do we submit our homework?

Homework send when?

Who is the woman over there?

(Point to woman) woman (squint eyebrows) who?

Are you a teacher?

You teacher? You.

Is sister happy?

Sister happy? You.

Have you eaten?

You eat finish? (body bend forward)

Do you know who she is?

You know who she (point to person)?

I flew to Kuala Lumpur as I wanted to visit my grandmother

I fly Kuala Lumpur. Why? Visit grandmother.

How do I go to Hong Kong? Fly

I go Hong Kong. How? Fly.

When do I go to Taiwan? Likely next week

I go Taiwan. When? Next week.

I go to Japan. Why? For my brother's wedding

I go Japan. Why? My brother wedding.
I go Japan for my brother wedding.

I am not tired

I (shake head) not tired.

You are not weak

You weak not (shake head).

I am not happy

I (shake head) not happy.

I cannot understand the presenter because he used a lot of jargon terms

Presenter big/jargon word, I (shake head) not/don't.

Yes, you are right

Yes (nod head). You right.

He has completed his studies

He (nod head) study finish.

Yes, she is married

Yes (nod head), she married (raise eyebrows).

The bus has arrived

Bus arrived already (nod head once).

Sit down

(Big signs) Sit down!

Shut up

(Zip mouth with the "G" hand)
(Cross two "H" signs with the palm out, and place it over the other person's mouth)

Stop talking

(Big signs) Stop talking!

Don't touch it

Don't!

If it rained, the game will be cancelled

Rain (pause), game cancel.

If it rained, I am not going for swimming

Rain (pause), I not go swim.

If you are going, I will be going

You go (pause), I go.
You go (pause), I follow.

If it is still raining, I am not going out

Rain continue flood (pause), I not go.

Remember to bring your passport

Remember bring passport.

Our next holiday will be Europe

We (CL-2) next holiday Europe will.

He booked his flight ticket to Korea last December

Last December, Korea, (point to person) boy book flight ticket finish.

They plan their tour to the Philippines in 2 years' time

Now they (CL-2) plan tour Philippines 2 years later.

She wants to backpack around Asia - Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines

(Point to person) Girl want backpack around Asia, Malaysia (left side), Thailand (centre), Philippines (right side).
(Point to person) Girl want backpack around Asia, (CL-3 palm facing inwards), (point to thumb) Malaysia, (point to index finger) Thailand, (point to middle finger) Philippines.

Tom prefers Australia to America

Australia (left side) America (right side) Tom prefer (point to the left side).
(CL-2 palm facing inwards), (point to index finger) Australia, (point to middle finger) America, Tom prefer (point to the index finger).

People in North Korea look different from those in South Korea

North Korea (left side), South Korea (right side), people look different.

How much do you pay for the hotel accommodation

Hotel stay how much you pay?

She does not want to travel in Japan

(Point to person) girl don't want travel Japan.

How do you go to Malaysia? By car, train or plane?

How go Malaysia? (CL-3 palm facing inwards) (Point to thumb) car, (point to index finger) train, (point to middle finger) plane.
How go Malaysia? Car (left side), train (centre), plane (right side).

Did you manage to see the world?

You manage see world?

It is our first time in Europe

We (CL-3) first time Europe.

We had a good time in cold Australia

Cold Australia we (CL-2) have good time.

They will never forget the snow in Korea

Korea snow they (CL-3) never forget will.

Jane and I left Japan at 8 am

8 am we (CL-2) Jane leave Japan.