Difference between revisions of "Expressing "everything" with "shenme dou""

(add spaces before periods)
(add spaces after period)
Line 19: Line 19:
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 家 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 有 。<span class="trans">My family has everything.</span>
+
* 我 家 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 有 。 <span class="trans">My family has everything.</span>
* 爸爸 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 知道 。<span class="trans">My dad knows everything.</span>
+
* 爸爸 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 知道 。 <span class="trans">My dad knows everything.</span>
* 我 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 喜欢吃 。<span class="trans">I like eating everything.</span>
+
* 我 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 喜欢吃 。 <span class="trans">I like eating everything.</span>
* 中国 酒,外国 酒,我 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 喝 。<span class="trans">Chinese liquor, foreign liquor, I drink everything.</span>
+
* 中国 酒,外国 酒,我 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 喝 。 <span class="trans">Chinese liquor, foreign liquor, I drink everything.</span>
* 我 女 朋友 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 买 。<span class="trans">My girlfriend buys everything.</span>
+
* 我 女 朋友 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 买 。 <span class="trans">My girlfriend buys everything.</span>
* 我 家 的 宝宝 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 要 。<span class="trans">The baby in my family wants everything.</span>
+
* 我 家 的 宝宝 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 要 。 <span class="trans">The baby in my family wants everything.</span>
* 她 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 告诉 我 。<span class="trans">She told me everything.</span>
+
* 她 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 告诉 我 。 <span class="trans">She told me everything.</span>
* 很 多 人 觉得 外国 的 东西 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 好 。<span class="trans">Many people think that all foreign things are good.</span>
+
* 很 多 人 觉得 外国 的 东西 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 好 。 <span class="trans">Many people think that all foreign things are good.</span>
* 上海 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 贵 。<span class="trans">Everything in Shanghai is expensive.</span>
+
* 上海 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 贵 。 <span class="trans">Everything in Shanghai is expensive.</span>
* 她 的 房间 里 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 是 红色 的 。<span class="trans">Everything is red in her room.</span>
+
* 她 的 房间 里 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 是 红色 的 。 <span class="trans">Everything is red in her room.</span>
* 他 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 没 说 。<span class="trans">He didn't tell anything .</span>
+
* 他 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 没 说 。 <span class="trans">He didn't tell anything .</span>
* 我 觉得 这里 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 好吃 。<span class="trans">I think everything is delicious here.</span>
+
* 我 觉得 这里 <em>什么</em>  <em>都</em> 好吃 。 <span class="trans">I think everything is delicious here.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>

Revision as of 05:09, 13 March 2014

"什么...都/也" (shénme...dōu/yě) is a pattern often used to express "all" or "everything". This pattern also works with other question words, such as 哪儿 and 什么时候.

Basic Structures

什么都/也

The structure is very clear, as many Chinese grammar points are. In this structure, 都 is more frequently used than 也。

Topic + 什么都/也 + Verb/Adjective

Examples

  • 我 家 什么 有 。 My family has everything.
  • 爸爸 什么 知道 。 My dad knows everything.
  • 什么 喜欢吃 。 I like eating everything.
  • 中国 酒,外国 酒,我 什么 喝 。 Chinese liquor, foreign liquor, I drink everything.
  • 我 女 朋友 什么 买 。 My girlfriend buys everything.
  • 我 家 的 宝宝 什么 要 。 The baby in my family wants everything.
  • 什么 告诉 我 。 She told me everything.
  • 很 多 人 觉得 外国 的 东西 什么 好 。 Many people think that all foreign things are good.
  • 上海 什么 贵 。 Everything in Shanghai is expensive.
  • 她 的 房间 里 什么 是 红色 的 。 Everything is red in her room.
  • 什么 没 说 。 He didn't tell anything .
  • 我 觉得 这里 什么 好吃 。 I think everything is delicious here.

Patulous Structures

Structures with a Noun

什么 + Noun + 都

什么 + Noun + 也

Examples

  • 你 做 的 什么 好吃。All of the dishes you make are good.
  • 现在 什么 地方 热。Right now it's hot everywhere.
  • 什么 衣服 是 红色 的。All of her clothes are red.
  • 我 觉得 我 老公 什么 好。I think everything about my husband is good.
  • 什么 女孩子 喜欢。I like all girls.
  • 我们 什么 喝。We can drink all alcohol.
  • 大 城市 什么 有。Big cities have all kinds of people.
  • 你 不 应该 什么 跟 他 说。You shouldn't have told everything to him.
  • 什么 水果 喜欢 吃。I like to eat all kinds of fruits.
  • 今天 我 什么 工作 做 了。Today I did all my work.

Negative Structures

Structures with 不/没

The negative structure simply adds a 不 or a 没 after the 都/也.

什么 + Noun. + 都/也 + 不

什么 + Noun. + 都/也 + 没

Examples

  • 以后 你 应该 什么 要 喝。From now on, you should not drink any wine.
  • 什么 电影 喜欢 看。I don't like to watch any kind of movie. (implying I don't like movies in general)
  • 很 多 人 觉得 中国 什么 东西 好。Many people think that all of the things you can get in China are bad.
  • 小 城市 什么 东西 贵。Things in small cities are not expensive at all.
  • 什么 女孩子 喜欢。I don't like girls at all.
  • 为什么 你 什么 工作 做?Why haven't you finished all of the work?
  • 今天 我 什么 东西 吃。Today I didn't eat anything.
  • 什么 跟 我 说。She didn't tell me anything.
  • 我 家 什么 东西 有。My family doesn't have anything.
  • 周末 的 时候,我 什么 地方 去。During the weekend, I didn't go anywhere.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books