Difference between revisions of "Asking why with "zenme""
| Line 22: | Line 22: | ||
* 你 <em>怎么</em> 不 说 “谢谢” ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù shuō xièxiè?</span> <span class="trans">How come you didn't say thank you?</span> | * 你 <em>怎么</em> 不 说 “谢谢” ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù shuō xièxiè?</span> <span class="trans">How come you didn't say thank you?</span> | ||
| − | * <em>怎么</em> 不 | + | * 大家 <em>怎么</em> 都 不 说话？ <span class="pinyin"><em>Zěnme</em> bù shuōhuà?</span> <span class="trans">Why don't you speak?</span> |
| − | * 你 女 朋友 <em>怎么</em> 没 | + | * 你 女 朋友 <em>怎么</em> 没 跟 你 一起 来？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ nǚpéngyou <em>zěnme</em> méi gēn nǐ yīqǐ lái?</span> <span class="trans">How come your girlfriend didn't come together with you?</span> |
| − | + | * 大家 都 在 喝酒，你 <em>怎么</em> 不 喝？ <span class="pinyin">Dàjiā dōu zài hējiǔ, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù hē?</span> <span class="trans">Everyone is drinking wine.Why aren't you drinking?</span> | |
| − | + | * 今天 是 星期一，你 <em>怎么</em> 不 去 上班 ？ <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān shì xīngqīyī, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù qù shàngbān?</span> <span class="trans">Today is Monday.Why didn't you go to work?</span> | |
| − | * | ||
| − | * | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 09:21, 3 November 2015
-
Level
-
Similar to
-
Used for
-
Keywords
Aside from just meaning "how," 怎么 (zěnme) can also be used to ask "why" or "how come."
Contents
Basic Usage
Structure
Similar to the question word 为什么 (wèishéme), questions can also be asked with 怎么 (zěnme).
Subj. + 怎么 + Verb + Obj. ?
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?
- 大家 怎么 都 不 说话？ Why don't you speak?
- 你 女 朋友 怎么 没 跟 你 一起 来？ How come your girlfriend didn't come together with you?
- 大家 都 在 喝酒，你 怎么 不 喝？ Everyone is drinking wine.Why aren't you drinking?
- 今天 是 星期一，你 怎么 不 去 上班 ？ Today is Monday.Why didn't you go to work?
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
