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What is going on with the 把 structure ?

The 把 structure

The reason behind why you need he 把 structure

The 把 structure is mostly used to add emphasis, the emphasis is added in the verb/result as it changes their usual position. This structure can be quite confusing, because in most western languages we don't have a structure that is remotely similar, so there is not a direct translation. 

Even though this structure is quite hard, it's also really important, in my opinion it is fundamental. In addition, you will encounter this structure early on in your language journey. In my case I learned this structure in the GoChinese 400, and I'm also I'm pretty sure it's part of the HSK 3 coursework.

What is the infamous 把 structure? 

This structure is quite strict, from what I have learned up to now, the 把 structure never changes. It always follows its original pattern, which is : Subject+把+Object+Verb+ Result 

The main uses of the 把 structure:

1)To emphasize that an action has finished
Subject+把+Object+Verb+好了/忘了
他把碗洗完了 = 他把碗洗好了
It's important to mention that 完了 and 好了 are interchangeable except with the verbs: 吃/喝/看/聽, these verbs can only 完了. 

2)To indicate where you left something, it adds emphasis to the place in where the object is located or was put in. 
Subject+把+Object+放在+Place+Position (裡/上/下/旁邊/前面/後面）
我把筷子放在廚房裡 
他把書放在桌子上
媽媽把沙發放在床前面

3)It's used to give orders (the verb turns into an imperative verb). For the Spanish native speakers out there this would be the equivalent of: hazlo, ten, pon, sal, etc. 
去學校前要把早餐吃完
吃完飯要把碗洗好
*In these sentences, 要 does not mean that you will do the action. It means need, and it can be omitted.

Other common uses
我把電腦還給他了。 = I gave him back the laptop 
她的男友把花送給她了。=Her boyfriend gave her flowers 
你把老闆的話當耳邊風。= Take what the boss said to you in one ear and out the other. 
* The translation of the sentence can't be done directly, but it's important to mention that in this sentence 當 works as verb to be.

More resources to understand this structure 

Finally, if you still have some doubts, you can check the following YouTube videos. These videos were the ones I used when I was learning the 把 structure. 




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