Difference between revisions of "Asking why with "zenme""
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* 每 天 工作 十 二 个 小时 ， 你 <em>怎么</em> 不 累 ？ <span class="pinyin">Měi tiān gōngzuò shí'èr ge xiǎoshí, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù lèi?</span> <span class="trans">Everyday you work 12 hours, why are you not tired?</span> | * 每 天 工作 十 二 个 小时 ， 你 <em>怎么</em> 不 累 ？ <span class="pinyin">Měi tiān gōngzuò shí'èr ge xiǎoshí, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù lèi?</span> <span class="trans">Everyday you work 12 hours, why are you not tired?</span> | ||
* 妈妈 病 了 ， 你 <em>怎么</em> 不 难过 ？ <span class="pinyin">Māma bìng le, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù nánguò?</span> <span class="trans">Mom is sick, why are you not sad?</span> | * 妈妈 病 了 ， 你 <em>怎么</em> 不 难过 ？ <span class="pinyin">Māma bìng le, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù nánguò?</span> <span class="trans">Mom is sick, why are you not sad?</span> | ||
| − | * 这 个 苹果 <em>怎么</em> 不 甜 ？ <span class="pinyin">Zhè | + | * 这 个 苹果 <em>怎么</em> 不 甜 ？ <span class="pinyin">Zhè ge píngguǒ <em>zěnme</em> bù tián?</span> <span class="trans">Why isn't this apple sweet?</span> |
* 你 买 的 肉 <em>怎么</em> 不 新鲜 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ mǎi de ròu <em>zěnme</em> bù xīnxiān?</span> <span class="trans">Why is the meat you bought not fresh?</span> | * 你 买 的 肉 <em>怎么</em> 不 新鲜 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ mǎi de ròu <em>zěnme</em> bù xīnxiān?</span> <span class="trans">Why is the meat you bought not fresh?</span> | ||
| − | * 这 个 孩子 <em>怎么</em> 不 害羞 ？ <span class="pinyin">Zhè | + | * 这 个 孩子 <em>怎么</em> 不 害羞 ？ <span class="pinyin">Zhè ge háizi <em>zěnme</em> bù hàixiū?</span> <span class="trans">Why is this child not shy?</span> |
* 水 <em>怎么</em> 不 热 ？ <span class="pinyin">Shuǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù rè?</span> <span class="trans">Why is the water not hot?</span> | * 水 <em>怎么</em> 不 热 ？ <span class="pinyin">Shuǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù rè?</span> <span class="trans">Why is the water not hot?</span> | ||
* 这里 的 川菜 <em>怎么</em> 不 辣 ？ <span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ de chuāncài <em>zěnme</em> bù là?</span> <span class="trans">Why is the Sichuan food here not spicy?</span> | * 这里 的 川菜 <em>怎么</em> 不 辣 ？ <span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ de chuāncài <em>zěnme</em> bù là?</span> <span class="trans">Why is the Sichuan food here not spicy?</span> | ||
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| − | * 这 个 苹果 <em>怎么</em> 这么 甜 ？ <span class="pinyin">Zhè | + | * 这 个 苹果 <em>怎么</em> 这么 甜 ？ <span class="pinyin">Zhè ge píngguǒ <em>zěnme</em> zhème tián?</span> <span class="trans">How can this apple be so sweet?</span> |
* 你 买 的 花 <em>怎么</em> 这么 香 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ mǎi de huā <em>zěnme</em> zhème xiāng?</span> <span class="trans">How can the flowers you bought smell so good?</span> | * 你 买 的 花 <em>怎么</em> 这么 香 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ mǎi de huā <em>zěnme</em> zhème xiāng?</span> <span class="trans">How can the flowers you bought smell so good?</span> | ||
* 水 <em>怎么</em> 这么 热 ？ <span class="pinyin">Shuǐ <em>zěnme</em> zhème rè?</span> <span class="trans">How can the water be so hot?</span> | * 水 <em>怎么</em> 这么 热 ？ <span class="pinyin">Shuǐ <em>zěnme</em> zhème rè?</span> <span class="trans">How can the water be so hot?</span> | ||
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* 昨天 <em>怎么</em> 那么 冷 ？ <span class="pinyin">Zuótiān <em>zěnme</em> nàme lěng?</span> <span class="trans">How could it be so cold yesterday?</span> | * 昨天 <em>怎么</em> 那么 冷 ？ <span class="pinyin">Zuótiān <em>zěnme</em> nàme lěng?</span> <span class="trans">How could it be so cold yesterday?</span> | ||
* 以前 的 小孩 <em>怎么</em> 都 那么 矮 ？ <span class="pinyin">Yǐqián de xiǎohái <em>zěnme</em> dōu nàme ǎi?</span> <span class="trans">How could the kids before be so short?</span> | * 以前 的 小孩 <em>怎么</em> 都 那么 矮 ？ <span class="pinyin">Yǐqián de xiǎohái <em>zěnme</em> dōu nàme ǎi?</span> <span class="trans">How could the kids before be so short?</span> | ||
| − | * 这 个 女孩子 <em>怎么</em> 这么 害羞 ？ <span class="pinyin">Zhè | + | * 这 个 女孩子 <em>怎么</em> 这么 害羞 ？ <span class="pinyin">Zhè ge nǚháizi <em>zěnme</em> zhème hàixiū?</span> <span class="trans">How can this little girl be so shy?</span> |
* 我 <em>怎么</em> 觉得 这么 累 ？ <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zěnme</em> juéde zhème lèi?</span> <span class="trans">How can I feel this tired?</span> | * 我 <em>怎么</em> 觉得 这么 累 ？ <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zěnme</em> juéde zhème lèi?</span> <span class="trans">How can I feel this tired?</span> | ||
* 你 <em>怎么</em> 这么 难过 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zěnme</em> zhème nánguò?</span> <span class="trans">How can you be feeling this bad?</span> | * 你 <em>怎么</em> 这么 难过 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zěnme</em> zhème nánguò?</span> <span class="trans">How can you be feeling this bad?</span> | ||
Revision as of 02:52, 17 August 2015
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Keywords
Aside from just meaning "how," 怎么 (zěnme) can also be used to ask "why" or "how come."
Contents
Basic Usage
With Verb
Structure
Similar to the question word 为什么 (wèishéme), questions can also be asked with 怎么 (zěnme).
Subject + 怎么 + Verb + Object ?
This has similar connotations to saying "how come" in English. It not only asks why, but expresses some surprise at the situation, and in some cases even disagreement with it.
Examples
- 你 怎么 不 说 “谢谢” ？ How come you didn't say thank you?
- 怎么 不 说话 ？ Why don't you speak?
- 你 女 朋友 怎么 没 来 ？ How come your girlfriend didn't come?
- 你 怎么 没 给 我 打 电话 ？ How come you didn't call me?
- 你 怎么 生气 了 ？ Why are you angry?
- 你 怎么 不 喝酒 ？ Why aren't you drinking?
- 你 昨天 怎么 没 回家 ？ Why didn't you come home yesterday?
- 你 今天 怎么 不 去 上班 ？ Why didn't you go to work today?
- 你 怎么 没 写 作业 ？ Why haven't you done your homework?
With Adjective
Structure
In this case, you need some negative words after 怎么 (zěnme).
Subject + 怎么 + Negative Adjective Words
Examples
- 老师 怎么 不 高兴 ？ How come the teacher is unhappy?
- 每 天 工作 十 二 个 小时 ， 你 怎么 不 累 ？ Everyday you work 12 hours, why are you not tired?
- 妈妈 病 了 ， 你 怎么 不 难过 ？ Mom is sick, why are you not sad?
- 这 个 苹果 怎么 不 甜 ？ Why isn't this apple sweet?
- 你 买 的 肉 怎么 不 新鲜 ？ Why is the meat you bought not fresh?
- 这 个 孩子 怎么 不 害羞 ？ Why is this child not shy?
- 水 怎么 不 热 ？ Why is the water not hot?
- 这里 的 川菜 怎么 不 辣 ？ Why is the Sichuan food here not spicy?
- 今天 怎么 不 冷 ？ How is it not cold today?
- 你们 怎么 不 开心 ？ Why are you guys unhappy?
"Why so..." Usage
Structure
One pattern this use of 怎么 (zěnme) frequently appears in is with 这么 (zhème) or 那么 (nàme). (For more on 这么 (zhème) and 那么 (nàme), see adjectives with "name" and "zheme").
Subject + 怎么 + 这么/那么 + Adj
This use of 怎么 (zěnme) could be translated as either "how" or "why"; the actual meaning sort of falls in the fuzzy region between the two. In any case, it's used to express disbelief: how can (something) be so (adjective)?!
Examples
- 这 个 苹果 怎么 这么 甜 ？ How can this apple be so sweet?
- 你 买 的 花 怎么 这么 香 ？ How can the flowers you bought smell so good?
- 水 怎么 这么 热 ？ How can the water be so hot?
- 川菜 怎么 那么 辣 ？ How can Sichuan food be so spicy?
- 昨天 怎么 那么 冷 ？ How could it be so cold yesterday?
- 以前 的 小孩 怎么 都 那么 矮 ？ How could the kids before be so short?
- 这 个 女孩子 怎么 这么 害羞 ？ How can this little girl be so shy?
- 我 怎么 觉得 这么 累 ？ How can I feel this tired?
- 你 怎么 这么 难过 ？ How can you be feeling this bad?
- 他 怎么 那么 高 ？ How can you be so tall?
- 你的 汉语 怎么 那么 好 ？ How is your Chinese so good?
- 他 怎么 那么 懒 ？ How can he be this lazy?
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
