们 and 边 Suffixes for “Groups” and “Sides”
Add 们 to a pronoun or a word for people to make a group, and add 边 to 上, 前, 左 and other direction words to make a place word that can stand on its own.
Patrón
person word + 们; direction word + 边
们 turns a person word into “a group of them”; 边 turns a direction like 前 into a place word: 前边, 外边, 左边.
同学们，你们好！
When to use 们 and 边 Suffixes for “Groups” and “Sides”
们 goes after a pronoun or a noun for people and means “more than one of them”: 我们, 他们, 老师们, 同学们. You often hear it when someone speaks to a whole group. 边 (said with a light tone, bian) goes after a direction word and makes a place word: 上边, 下边, 里边, 外边, 前边, 后边, 左边, 右边. A place word with 边 can stand alone or follow a noun: 前边, 学校前边.
孩子们在外边玩儿。
The children are playing outside.
我家前边有一个超市。
There is a supermarket in front of my home.
书店在学校的左边。
The bookshop is to the left of the school.
老师们都很忙。
The teachers are all busy.
Errores frecuentes
- Don’t add 们 after a number or 很多: 三个学生, not 三个学生们.
- Don’t use 们 for things: 这些书, not 书们.
- A bare 上, 前 or 外 can’t start a sentence; use the 边 form: 外边很冷, not 外很冷.
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