Difference between revisions of "Placement of question words"
| Line 55: | Line 55: | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | <ul class="dialog"> | ||
| + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 这 是 <em>什么</em>？<span class="trans">What is this?</span></li> | ||
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>这 是 <em>书</em>。<span class="trans">This is a book.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span>那 是 <em>什么</em>？<span class="trans">What is that?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>那 是 <em>桌子</em>。<span class="trans">That is a desk.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span>你 有 <em>什么</em>？<span class="trans">What do you have?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 有 <em>钱</em>。<span class="trans">I have money.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span>你 看 <em>什么</em>？<span class="trans">What are you looking at?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 看 <em>美女</em>。<span class="trans">I am looking at pretty girls.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| Line 85: | Line 95: | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 在 <em>哪里</em>？<span class="trans">Where are you?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 在 <em>北京</em>。<span class="trans">I'm in Beijing.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 去 <em>哪里</em>？<span class="trans">Where are you going?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 去 <em>上海</em>。<span class="trans">I'm going to Shanghai.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 我们 在 <em>哪儿</em>？<span class="trans">Where are we?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我们 在 <em>南京西路</em>。<span class="trans">We are at West Nanjing road.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 现在 去 <em>哪儿</em>？<span class="trans">Where are you going now?</span></li> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 去 <em>洗手间</em>。<span class="trans">I'm going to the bathroom.</span></li> | |
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| Line 117: | Line 137: | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 是 <em>谁</em>？<span class="trans">Who are you?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 是 成龙。<span class="trans">I'm Chéng Lóng (Jackie Chan).</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 她 是 <em>谁</em>？<span class="trans">Who is she?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>她 是 我 的 老师。<span class="trans">She is my teacher.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> <em>谁</em>去？<span class="trans">Who is going?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 去。<span class="trans">I'm going.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> <em>谁</em> 想 喝 茶？<span class="trans">Who wants to drink tea?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 想 喝 茶。<span class="trans">I want to drink tea.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| Line 151: | Line 179: | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 <em>什么时候</em> 来 ？ <span class="trans">When are you coming?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 <em>明天</em> 来 。<span class="trans">I'm coming tomorrow.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 我们 <em>什么时候</em> 吃 饭 ？<span class="trans">When are we eating?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我们 <em>6 点</em> 吃 饭。<span class="trans">We're eating at 6:00.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你们 <em>什么时候</em> 结婚？<span class="trans">When do you guys get married?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我们 <em>下 个 月</em> 结婚。<span class="trans">We get married next month.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 <em>什么时候</em> 去 旅行？<span class="trans">When are you going to travel?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 <em>9月</em> 去 旅行。<span class="trans">I am going to travel in September.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| Line 173: | Line 212: | ||
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | Subject + | + | Subject + 为什么 + Predicate ? |
</div> | </div> | ||
| Line 182: | Line 221: | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 <em>为什么</em> 学 中文？<span class="trans">Why do you study Chinese?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>因为</em> 我 在 中国。<span class="trans"> Because I'm in China.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 <em>为什么</em> 不 高兴？<span class="trans">Why are you not happy?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>因为</em> 我 在 学 中文。<span class="trans">Because I am studying Chinese.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 他 <em>为什么</em> 哭 了？<span class="trans">Why was he crying?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>因为</em> 他 喝 醉 了。<span class="trans">Because he was drunk.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 <em>为什么</em> 没 去 上班？<span class="trans">Why didn't you go to work? </span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>因为</em> 我 生病 了。<span class="trans">Because I'm sick.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| Line 211: | Line 261: | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 <em>怎么</em> 学习 中文？<span class="trans">How do you study Chinese?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 <em> 用 <span class="spaced">Grammar Wiki</span></em> 。<span class="trans">I use the Grammar Wiki.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 <em>怎么</em> 上网？<span class="trans">How do you go online?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 <em>用 手机</em> 上网。<span class="trans">I use my cell phone to go online.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 <em>怎么</em> 去 纽约？<span class="trans">How do you go to New York? </span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 <em>坐 火车</em> 去。<span class="trans">I take the train.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | <ul class="dialog"> | |
| − | + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 <em>怎么</em> 联系 他？<span class="trans">How do you contact him?</span></li> | |
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 <em>发 邮件</em> 联系 他。<span class="trans">I e-mail him to contact him.</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| Line 235: | Line 296: | ||
== Sources and further reading == | == Sources and further reading == | ||
| − | * [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] ( | + | * [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (p. 23) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899 →buy] |
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 132-5) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy] | * [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 132-5) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy] | ||
| − | * [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)]] ( | + | * [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)]] (p. 57) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401 →buy] |
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)]] (pp. 66, 251) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235 →buy] | * [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)]] (pp. 66, 251) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235 →buy] | ||
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]][http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy] | * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]][http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy] | ||
Revision as of 09:09, 14 March 2014
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Level
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Keywords
How does one ask questions in Chinese? This article will tell you how questions are formed and where the questions words are supposed to go. After all, one of the best ways to learn is to ask questions!
Contents
Overview
Common question words list
Question words are one way to form questions in Chinese. In English, question words are also known as wh-words, as the majority of them begin with wh:
- 什么 (shénme)what
- 哪里 (nǎli) or 哪儿 (nǎr) where
- 谁 (shéi)In spoken Chinese, people normally say "shéi", not "shuí" who
- 什么时候 (shénme shíhou) when
- 为什么 (wèishénme) why
- 怎么 (zěnme) how
Rules
In English, question words have to be placed at the beginning of the sentence. This involves changing the word order to allow this rearrangement. In Chinese, using question words is a lot simpler. You simply place a question word in the place of the thing you want to ask about. Nothing needs to be rearranged.
So if the statement is
- 我 是 小李。I am Xiao Li.
the question form - "who are you?" - has the same word order:
- 你 是 谁？Who are you? (you are who?)
This works for whatever it is you want to ask about. The question form has the same word order as the statement form.
Expressing "what" with 什么 (shénme)
Structure
Subject + Verb + 什么 + (Noun) ?
Examples
- A: 这 是 什么？What is this?
- B:这 是 书。This is a book.
- A:那 是 什么？What is that?
- B:那 是 桌子。That is a desk.
- A:你 有 什么？What do you have?
- B:我 有 钱。I have money.
- A:你 看 什么？What are you looking at?
- B:我 看 美女。I am looking at pretty girls.
Expressing "where" with 哪里 (nǎli) / 哪儿 (nǎr)
Structure
Subject + Verb + 哪里/哪儿 ?
Examples
- A: 你 在 哪里？Where are you?
- B:我 在 北京。I'm in Beijing.
- A: 你 去 哪里？Where are you going?
- B:我 去 上海。I'm going to Shanghai.
- A: 我们 在 哪儿？Where are we?
- B:我们 在 南京西路。We are at West Nanjing road.
- A: 你 现在 去 哪儿？Where are you going now?
- B:我 去 洗手间。I'm going to the bathroom.
Expressing "who" with 谁 (shéi)
Structure
Subject + 是 + 谁 ?
谁 + Verb ?
Examples
- A: 你 是 谁？Who are you?
- B:我 是 成龙。I'm Chéng Lóng (Jackie Chan).
- A: 她 是 谁？Who is she?
- B:她 是 我 的 老师。She is my teacher.
- A: 谁去？Who is going?
- B:我 去。I'm going.
- A: 谁 想 喝 茶？Who wants to drink tea?
- B:我 想 喝 茶。I want to drink tea.
Expressing "when" with 什么时候 (shénme shíhou)
Structure
Subject + 什么时候 + Predicate ?
An example for asking and telling when (to keep things simple, we'll just include questions about the future; asking questions about the past is slightly more complicated and involves the "Shi... de" construction).
Examples
- A: 你 什么时候 来 ？ When are you coming?
- B:我 明天 来 。I'm coming tomorrow.
- A: 我们 什么时候 吃 饭 ？When are we eating?
- B:我们 6 点 吃 饭。We're eating at 6:00.
- A: 你们 什么时候 结婚？When do you guys get married?
- B:我们 下 个 月 结婚。We get married next month.
- A: 你 什么时候 去 旅行？When are you going to travel?
- B:我 9月 去 旅行。I am going to travel in September.
Expressing "why" with 为什么(wèishénme)
Structure
Subject + 为什么 + Predicate ?
An example for asking and telling when (to keep things simple, we'll just include questions about the future; asking questions about the past is slightly more complicated and involves the "Shi... de" construction).
Examples
- A: 你 为什么 学 中文？Why do you study Chinese?
- B:因为 我 在 中国。 Because I'm in China.
- A: 你 为什么 不 高兴？Why are you not happy?
- B:因为 我 在 学 中文。Because I am studying Chinese.
- A: 他 为什么 哭 了？Why was he crying?
- B:因为 他 喝 醉 了。Because he was drunk.
- A: 你 为什么 没 去 上班？Why didn't you go to work?
- B:因为 我 生病 了。Because I'm sick.
Expressing "how" with 怎么 (zěnme)
Structure
Subject + 怎么 + Verb + Object ?
Examples
- A: 你 怎么 学习 中文？How do you study Chinese?
- B:我 用 Grammar Wiki 。I use the Grammar Wiki.
- A: 你 怎么 上网？How do you go online?
- B:我 用 手机 上网。I use my cell phone to go online.
- A: 你 怎么 去 纽约？How do you go to New York?
- B:我 坐 火车 去。I take the train.
- A: 你 怎么 联系 他？How do you contact him?
- B:我 发 邮件 联系 他。I e-mail him to contact him.
See also
Sources and further reading
- Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (p. 23) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 132-5) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (p. 57) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed) (pp. 66, 251) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)→buy
