很 + Verb (feeling verbs with 很)
Some verbs love an adverb
- Usually very很 ("very") modifies adjectives: very很high高.
- But feeling-verbs — to like喜欢, want / think / miss想, to hope希望 — also take very很.
- very很to like喜欢 = "really like", 很想 = "miss a lot".
very很 + (feeling) Verb
- very很 + Verb for verbs of emotion / desire = "really / very much".
I我really很like喜欢you你。
- I / me我very很to like喜欢you你 = "I really like you."
Practice
I really like you: 我 ____ 喜欢你。
Feeling-verbs take 很: 我很喜欢你 (I really like you).
Practice
Build: “I really like you.”
Subj + 很 + (feeling)Verb: 我 + 很 + 喜欢你.
Which verbs?
- Feelings and wishes: to like喜欢, want / think / miss想, to hope希望, anxious担心, to understand了解, to be afraid害怕…
I我really很miss想home家。
- 很想家 = "really miss home" — but not very很 + a plain action like variant of 吃吃.
Explore
Correct or broken?
很 intensifies feeling verbs (喜欢, 想, 希望) — plain action verbs refuse it.
Practice
Which verb can take 很?
很 modifies feeling/desire verbs (很喜欢), not plain actions (not 很吃).
Practice
You can say 很吃 to mean “eat a lot”.
吃 is a plain action verb — it does not take 很. Use feeling-verbs: 很喜欢.
Recap
Key idea
- very很 + (feeling) Verb — "really / very much": very很to like喜欢, 很想
- Only verbs of emotion / desire, not plain action verbs
- I / me我very很to like喜欢you你 · 很想家
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Verb phrases.