<blockquote>
  <p>But I’m confused as to why 是 is there. I thought negation of
  adjectives should’nt be accompanied by 是. Could someone explain this
  please?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>First think the component as 是[other description] where [other description] is true. 是 is used to denote some description is true. Because [other description] is after 是, [other description] is true.</p>

<p>Second think another component as 不[other description] where [other description] is false. 不 is used to denote some description is false. Because [other description] is after 不, [other description] is false.</p>

<p>First point and second point exist independently. Although they exist independently, they can be used together.</p>

<p>Use "first point" first. think 是特別漂亮 as 是[特別漂亮](是[other description], where [other description] is 特別漂亮)(is especially pretty). 是 is used to denote [other description] is true so 特別漂亮(especially pretty) is true. You get that 是特別漂亮 means is especially pretty.</p>

<p>Then use "second point" , think 不是特別漂亮 as 不[是特别漂亮](不[other description], where [other description] is 是特别漂亮) (is not especially pretty). In this example 不 is used to denote [other description] is false so 是特别漂亮(is especially pretty) is false. You get 不是特別漂亮 means "is not especially pretty".</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-22T10:58:56.333Z
2020-05-22T11:14:07.087Z
2020-05-22T11:14:07.087Z
000
<p>"不是" is a set team for "is not". It doesn't negate the adjective. It is the negative form of the verb "是"(is)</p>

<ul>
<li><p>她(是) = she (is) </p></li>
<li><p>她(不是) = she (isn't)</p></li>
<li><p>她(是)特别漂亮 = she (is) very pretty</p></li>
<li><p>她(不是)特别漂亮 = she (isn't) very pretty</p></li>
</ul>

<p>~</p>

<p>不 = not</p>

<p>When we use 不 alone before an adjective, it modify the adjective by negate it. The subject 她 became the topic, and the negated adjective 不漂亮 became the comment </p>

<ul>
<li><p>漂亮 = pretty</p></li>
<li><p>不漂亮 = not pretty  </p></li>
<li><p>她(漂亮) = she, (pretty) </p></li>
<li><p>她(不漂亮) = she, (not pretty) </p></li>
<li><p>她(不漂亮但善良) = she, (not pretty, but kind) </p></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-20T12:56:25.870Z
Then is 她是漂亮 wrong but 她是特别漂亮 correct?
Dimen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-20T01:05:13.237Z
2020-05-20T01:29:09.143Z
2020-05-20T01:29:09.143Z
Tang Ho
<p>As a rule of thumb, you can interpret 是 and 不是 as follows:</p>

<p>是 - It is the case that...</p>

<p>不是 - It is not the case that...</p>

<p>"如果她不是特别漂亮也没关系。" - It's OK if it is not the case that she is very pretty.</p>

<p>A： "你不喜欢红酒？” </p>

<p>B: 是。 (No, I don't like - Yes, it is the case that I don't like.）</p>

<p>B1: 不是。（But yes, I do like - No, it is not the case that I don't like.)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-20T02:35:33.477Z
2020-05-20T02:35:33.477Z
KK_Tse
<p>While I was studying, I came across this sentence.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>如果她不是特别漂亮也没关系。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>But I’m confused as to why 是 is there. I thought negation of adjectives should’nt be accompanied by 是. Could someone explain this please? Thank you!</p>

<adjectives>
When to use 不是 + adj
# When to use 不是 + adj

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-05-20)

While I was studying, I came across this sentence.

> 如果她不是特别漂亮也没关系。

But I’m confused as to why 是 is there. I thought negation of adjectives should’nt be accompanied by 是. Could someone explain this please? Thank you!

**Tags:** adjectives


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-05-22. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

> But I’m confused as to why 是 is there. I thought negation of
> adjectives should’nt be accompanied by 是. Could someone explain this
> please?

First think the component as 是[other description] where [other description] is true. 是 is used to denote some description is true. Because [other description] is after 是, [other description] is true.

Second think another component as 不[other description] where [other description] is false. 不 is used to denote some description is false. Because [other description] is after 不, [other description] is false.

First point and second point exist independently. Although they exist independently, they can be used together.

Use "first point" first. think 是特別漂亮 as 是[特別漂亮](是[other description], where [other description] is 特別漂亮)(is especially pretty). 是 is used to denote [other description] is true so 特別漂亮(especially pretty) is true. You get that 是特別漂亮 means is especially pretty.

Then use "second point" , think 不是特別漂亮 as 不[是特别漂亮](不[other description], where [other description] is 是特别漂亮) (is not especially pretty). In this example 不 is used to denote [other description] is false so 是特别漂亮(is especially pretty) is false. You get 不是特別漂亮 means "is not especially pretty".


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### Answer by username_2 on 2020-05-20. Score: 1

"不是" is a set team for "is not". It doesn't negate the adjective. It is the negative form of the verb "是"(is)

* 她(是) = she (is)
* 她(不是) = she (isn't)
* 她(是)特别漂亮 = she (is) very pretty
* 她(不是)特别漂亮 = she (isn't) very pretty

~

不 = not

When we use 不 alone before an adjective, it modify the adjective by negate it. The subject 她 became the topic, and the negated adjective 不漂亮 became the comment

* 漂亮 = pretty
* 不漂亮 = not pretty
* 她(漂亮) = she, (pretty)
* 她(不漂亮) = she, (not pretty)
* 她(不漂亮但善良) = she, (not pretty, but kind)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Then is 她是漂亮 wrong but 她是特别漂亮 correct?  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2020-05-20. Score: 0

As a rule of thumb, you can interpret 是 and 不是 as follows:

是 - It is the case that...

不是 - It is not the case that...

"如果她不是特别漂亮也没关系。" - It's OK if it is not the case that she is very pretty.

A： "你不喜欢红酒？”

B: 是。 (No, I don't like - Yes, it is the case that I don't like.）

B1: 不是。（But yes, I do like - No, it is not the case that I don't like.)


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