<p>See the definition 7 from <a href="http://wap.zdic.net/z/?u=662F" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this dictionary</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<ol start="7">
<li>加重语气，有“的确”、“实在”的意思：天气～冷。</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>天气冷 vs 天气是冷, the latter means that the truth is that the weather is cold, 天气确实/的确冷. The former just means the weather is cold.</p>
<p>In practice, 天气是冷 is used to confirm/justify what the other person have said. 天气是冷 stands alone (without previous contexts) doesn't make much sense. Refer to this exchange:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A: 今天天气很冷！</p>
<p>B: 恩，今天天气是冷！ // implying B agrees what A have just said by repeating it with 是 for emphasis.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Back to your examples, 你是在说 means what you are  <strong>actually</strong> saying is...., while 你在说 is what you are saying is.... 我不是很懂你的意思: I don't <strong>really</strong> quite get what you meant.  我不懂你的意思: I don't get what you meant.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-19T01:45:55.897Z
2018-06-19T02:20:05.540Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
dan
<p>I came across these two sentences.</p>

<p>你是在说.... (You're trying say ....)
我不是很懂你的意思。 (I don't really get what you mean.)</p>

<p>And yet, I am trying to wrap my head around why 是 is there in the first place. Shouldn't they be 你在说 and 我不懂你的意思 considering that they are describing verbs?</p>

<p>Please help. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-19T04:43:58.390Z
It's like the English "what I *do* suggest is…"
Vitaly Osipov
<grammar>
How is 是 in these two sentences?
# How is 是 in these two sentences?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-06-19)

I came across these two sentences.

你是在说.... (You're trying say ....)
我不是很懂你的意思。 (I don't really get what you mean.)

And yet, I am trying to wrap my head around why 是 is there in the first place. Shouldn't they be 你在说 and 我不懂你的意思 considering that they are describing verbs?

Please help.

**Tags:** grammar

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It's like the English "what I *do* suggest is…"  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-06-19. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

See the definition 7 from [this dictionary](http://wap.zdic.net/z/?u=662F):

> 7. 加重语气，有“的确”、“实在”的意思：天气～冷。

天气冷 vs 天气是冷, the latter means that the truth is that the weather is cold, 天气确实/的确冷. The former just means the weather is cold.

In practice, 天气是冷 is used to confirm/justify what the other person have said. 天气是冷 stands alone (without previous contexts) doesn't make much sense. Refer to this exchange:

> A: 今天天气很冷！
>
> B: 恩，今天天气是冷！ // implying B agrees what A have just said by repeating it with 是 for emphasis.

Back to your examples, 你是在说 means what you are **actually** saying is...., while 你在说 is what you are saying is.... 我不是很懂你的意思: I don't **really** quite get what you meant. 我不懂你的意思: I don't get what you meant.


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