Difference between revisions of "Asking why with "zenme""

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* 他 帮 了 你,你 <em>怎么</em> 不 说 “谢谢” ? <span class="pinyin">Tā bāng le nǐ,nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù shuō xièxiè?</span> <span class="trans">He helped you.How come you didn't say thank you?</span>
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* 他 帮 了 你,你 <em>怎么</em> 不 说 “谢谢” ?<span class="pinyin">Tā bāng le nǐ,nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù shuō xièxiè? </span> <span class="trans">He helped you.How come you didn't say thank you? </span>
* 你们 <em>怎么</em> 打 人? <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>zěnme</em> dǎrén?</span> <span class="trans">How can you hit people?</span>
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* 你们 <em>怎么</em> 打 人?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>zěnme</em> dǎrén? </span> <span class="trans">How can you hit people? </span>
* 你 结婚 的时候 <em>怎么</em> 不 告诉 我? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiéhūn de shíhòu <em>zěnme</em> bù gàosù wǒ?</span> <span class="trans">How come you didi't tell me when you get married?</span>
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* 你 结婚 的时候 <em>怎么</em> 不 告诉 我?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiéhūn de shíhòu <em>zěnme</em> bù gàosù wǒ? </span> <span class="trans">How come you didi't tell me when you get married? </span>
* 我们 还 没 开始 吃,他 <em>怎么</em> 已经 吃完 了? <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen hái méi kāishǐ chī, tā <em>zěnme</em> yǐjīng chīwán le?</span> <span class="trans">We haven't started eating yet.How come he has already finished eating?</span>
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* 我们 还 没 开始 吃,他 <em>怎么</em> 已经 吃完 了?<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen hái méi kāishǐ chī, tā <em>zěnme</em> yǐjīng chīwán le? </span> <span class="trans">We haven't started eating yet. How come he has already finished eating? </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>
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* 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>
  
 
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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>
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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>
* 他 打 了 你,你 <em>怎么</em> 不 生气? <span class="pinyin">Tā dǎ le nǐ, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù shēngqì?</span> <span class="trans">He hit you.How come you are not mad at him?</span>
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* 他 打 了 你,你 <em>怎么</em> 不 生气?<span class="pinyin">Tā dǎ le nǐ, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù shēngqì? </span> <span class="trans">He hit you. How come you are not mad at him? </span>
* 她 妈妈 死 了,她 <em>怎么</em> 不 难过? <span class="pinyin">Tāmāma sǐ le, tā <em>zěnme</em> bù nánguò?</span> <span class="trans">Her mom is dead.Why isn't she sad?</span>
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* 她 妈妈 死 了,她 <em>怎么</em> 不 难过?<span class="pinyin">Tāmāma sǐ le, tā <em>zěnme</em> bù nánguò? </span> <span class="trans">Her mom is dead.Why isn't she sad? </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>
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* 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>
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* 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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* 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>
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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>
* 这些人 <em>怎么</em> 这么 吵? <span class="pinyin">Zhè xiē rén <em>zěnme</em> zhème chǎo?</span> <span class="trans">How can these people so loud?</span>
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* 这些人 <em>怎么</em> 这么 吵?<span class="pinyin">Zhè xiē rén <em>zěnme</em> zhème chǎo? </span> <span class="trans">How can these people so loud? </span>
* 北京 的 空气 <em>怎么</em> 那么 差? <span class="pinyin">Běijīng de kōngqì <em>zěnme</em> nàme  chà?</span> <span class="trans">How can the air in Beijing be so bad?</span>
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* 北京 的 空气 <em>怎么</em> 那么 差?<span class="pinyin">Běijīng de kōngqì <em>zěnme</em> nàme  chà? </span> <span class="trans">How can the air in Beijing be so bad? </span>
* 你的 汉语 <em>怎么</em> 那么 好? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ de Hànyǔ <em>zěnme</em> nàme hǎo?</span> <span class="trans">How is your Chinese so good?</span>
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* 你的 汉语 <em>怎么</em> 那么 好?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de Hànyǔ <em>zěnme</em> nàme hǎo? </span> <span class="trans">How is your Chinese so good? </span>
* 他 <em>怎么</em> 那么 懒? <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zěnme</em> nàme lǎn?</span> <span class="trans">How can he be this lazy?</span>
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* 他 <em>怎么</em> 那么 懒?<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zěnme</em> nàme lǎn? </span> <span class="trans">How can he be this lazy? </span>
  
 
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Revision as of 04:21, 2 December 2015

Aside from just meaning "how," 怎么 (zěnme) can also be used to ask "why" or "how come."

Basic Usage

With Verb

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

  • 他 帮 了 你,你 怎么 不 说 “谢谢” ?Tā bāng le nǐ,nǐ zěnme bù shuō xièxiè? He helped you.How come you didn't say thank you?
  • 你们 怎么 打 人?Nǐmen zěnme dǎrén? How can you hit people?
  • 你 结婚 的时候 怎么 不 告诉 我?Nǐ jiéhūn de shíhòu zěnme bù gàosù wǒ? How come you didi't tell me when you get married?
  • 我们 还 没 开始 吃,他 怎么 已经 吃完 了?Wǒmen hái méi kāishǐ chī, tā zěnme yǐjīng chīwán le? We haven't started eating yet. How come he has already finished eating?
  • 今天 是 星期一,你 怎么 不 去 上班?Jīntiān shì Xīngqīyī, nǐ zěnme bù qù shàngbān? 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).

Subj. + 怎么 + [Negative Adjective Words]

Examples

  • 每 天 工作 十 二 个 小时 ,你 怎么 不 累?Měi tiān gōngzuò shí'èr ge xiǎoshí, nǐ zěnme bù lèi? Everyday you work 12 hours, why are you not tired?
  • 他 打 了 你,你 怎么 不 生气?Tā dǎ le nǐ, nǐ zěnme bù shēngqì? He hit you. How come you are not mad at him?
  • 她 妈妈 死 了,她 怎么 不 难过?Tāmāma sǐ le, tā zěnme bù nánguò? Her mom is dead.Why isn't she sad?
  • 怎么 不 热?Shuǐ zěnme bù rè? Why is the water not hot?
  • 这里 的 川菜 怎么 不 辣?Zhèlǐ de chuāncài zěnme bù là? Why is the Sichuan food here not spicy?

"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").

Subj. + 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

  • 昨天 怎么 那么 冷?Zuótiān zěnme nàme lěng? How could it be so cold yesterday?
  • 这些人 怎么 这么 吵?Zhè xiē rén zěnme zhème chǎo? How can these people so loud?
  • 北京 的 空气 怎么 那么 差?Běijīng de kōngqì zěnme nàme chà? How can the air in Beijing be so bad?
  • 你的 汉语 怎么 那么 好?Nǐ de Hànyǔ zěnme nàme hǎo? How is your Chinese so good?
  • 怎么 那么 懒?zěnme nàme lǎn? How can he be this lazy?

See also

Sources and further reading

Books