Difference between revisions of "Expressing "everything" with "shenme dou""
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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什么⋯⋯ 都 / 也 (shénme... dōu/yě) is a pattern often used to express "all" or "everything." Because it's not just one word, though, it can be a little tricky to get the hang of at first.
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什么⋯⋯ 都 / 也 (shénme... dōu / yě) is a pattern often used to express "all" or "everything." Because it's not just one word, though, it can be a little tricky to get the hang of at first.
  
 
== Basic Structures ==
 
== Basic Structures ==
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* 我 觉得 这里 的 菜 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 好吃。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde zhèlǐ de cài <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> hǎochī. </span> <span class="trans">I think everything is delicious here. </span>
 
* 我 觉得 这里 的 菜 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 好吃。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde zhèlǐ de cài <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> hǎochī. </span> <span class="trans">I think everything is delicious here. </span>
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* 中国 的 历史 爸爸 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 知道。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó de lìshǐ bàba <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> zhīdao. </span> <span class="trans">My dad knows everything about Chinese history. </span>
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* 中国 的 历史 爸爸 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 知道。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó de lìshǐ bàba <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> zhīdào. </span> <span class="trans">My dad knows everything about Chinese history. </span>
 
* 工作 的 事情 老公 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 跟 我 说。<span class="pinyin">Gōngzuò de shìqing lǎogōng <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> gēn wǒ shuō. </span> <span class="trans">My husband tells me everything about work stuff. </span>
 
* 工作 的 事情 老公 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 跟 我 说。<span class="pinyin">Gōngzuò de shìqing lǎogōng <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> gēn wǒ shuō. </span> <span class="trans">My husband tells me everything about work stuff. </span>
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* 家务活 我 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 会 做。<span class="pinyin">Jiāwùhuó wǒ <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> huì zuò. </span> <span class="trans">I can do every kind of housework. </span>
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* 妈妈 做 的 菜 我 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 喜欢。<span class="pinyin">Māma zuò de cài wǒ <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> xǐhuan. </span> <span class="trans">I like everything that mom cooks. </span>
 
* 我女朋友 觉得 外国 的 东西 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 好。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nǚpéngyou juéde wàiguó de dōngxī <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> hǎo. </span> <span class="trans">My  girlfriend thinks that all foreign things are good. </span>
 
* 我女朋友 觉得 外国 的 东西 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 好。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nǚpéngyou juéde wàiguó de dōngxī <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> hǎo. </span> <span class="trans">My  girlfriend thinks that all foreign things are good. </span>
  
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== Negative Structures ==
 
== Negative Structures ==
  
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=== Structures with 不/没 ===
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=== Structures with 不 (bù) / 没 (méi) ===
  
 
The negative structure simply adds a 不 (bù) or a 没 (méi) after the 都 (dōu) / 也 (yě).  Instead of "all" or "everything," this expresses "none" or "not any."
 
The negative structure simply adds a 不 (bù) or a 没 (méi) after the 都 (dōu) / 也 (yě).  Instead of "all" or "everything," this expresses "none" or "not any."
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</div>
  
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== Beyond 什么 ==
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== Beyond 什么 (shénme) ==
  
 
This pattern also works with other [[question word]]s, such as 哪儿 (nǎr) and 谁 (shéi). In these cases, 哪儿 (nǎr) or  哪里 (nǎli) would mean "everywhere," and  谁 (shéi) would mean "everyone."
 
This pattern also works with other [[question word]]s, such as 哪儿 (nǎr) and 谁 (shéi). In these cases, 哪儿 (nǎr) or  哪里 (nǎli) would mean "everywhere," and  谁 (shéi) would mean "everyone."

Revision as of 07:33, 12 January 2017

什么⋯⋯ 都 / 也 (shénme... dōu / yě) is a pattern often used to express "all" or "everything." Because it's not just one word, though, it can be a little tricky to get the hang of at first.

Basic Structures

什么⋯⋯ 都 / 也 (shénme... dōu/yě)

In this structure, 都 (dōu) is more frequently used than 也 (yě)。

Topic + 什么 + 都 / 也 + Verb / Adj.

Examples

  • 我 觉得 这里 的 菜 什么 都 好吃。Wǒ juéde zhèlǐ de cài shénme dōu hǎochī. I think everything is delicious here.
  • 中国 的 历史 爸爸 什么 都 知道。Zhōngguó de lìshǐ bàba shénme dōu zhīdào. My dad knows everything about Chinese history.
  • 工作 的 事情 老公 什么 都 跟 我 说。Gōngzuò de shìqing lǎogōng shénme dōu gēn wǒ shuō. My husband tells me everything about work stuff.
  • 妈妈 做 的 菜 我 什么 都 喜欢。Māma zuò de cài wǒ shénme dōu xǐhuan. I like everything that mom cooks.
  • 我女朋友 觉得 外国 的 东西 什么 都 好。Wǒ nǚpéngyou juéde wàiguó de dōngxī shénme dōu hǎo. My girlfriend thinks that all foreign things are good.

Targeted Structures

Structures with a Noun

什么 + Noun + 都

Examples with Nouns

  • 我们 什么 酒 都 喝。Wǒmen shénme jiǔ dōu hē. We can drink any alcohol.
  • 她 什么 衣服 都 是 黑色 的。Tā shénme yīfu dōu shì hēisè de. All of her clothes are black.
  • 妈妈 做 的 什么 菜 都 好吃。Māma zuò de shénme cài dōu hǎochī. All of the dishes mom makes are tasty.
  • 我男朋友 什么 运动 都 喜欢。Wǒ nánpéngyou shénme yùndòng dōu xǐhuan. My boyfriend likes all kinds of sports.
  • 你 不 应该 什么 话 都 跟 他 说。Nǐ bù yīnggāi shénme huà dōu gēn tā shuō. You shouldn't tell him everything.

Negative Structures

Structures with 不 (bù) / 没 (méi)

The negative structure simply adds a 不 (bù) or a 没 (méi) after the 都 (dōu) / 也 (yě). Instead of "all" or "everything," this expresses "none" or "not any."

什么 + Noun + 都 / 也 + 不 + Verb Phrase

什么 + Noun + 都 / 也 + 没(有) + Verb Phrase

Negative Examples

  • 生病 以后，爸爸 什么 酒 都 不 能 喝 了。Shēngbìng yǐhòu, bàba shénme jiǔ dōu bù néng hē le. After dad got sick, he can't drink any kind of alcohol.
  • 老板 现在 很 生气，什么 人 也 不 见。Lǎobǎn xiànzài hěn shēngqì, shénme rén yě bù jiàn. The boss is very angry. He's doesn't want to see anybody.
  • 今天 我 不 舒服，什么 东西 都 没 吃。Jīntiān wǒ bù shūfu, shénme dōngxī dōu méi chī. Today I'm not well, so I didn't eat anything.
  • 昨天 开会 的时候，她 什么 话 也 没 说。Zuótiān kāihuì de shíhou, tā shénme huà yě méi shuō. She didn't say anything at yesterday's meeting.
  • 你 在 家里 怎么 什么 事 都 不 做？Nǐ zài jiālǐ zěnme shénme shì dōu bù zuò? How come you haven't done anything at home?

Beyond 什么 (shénme)

This pattern also works with other question words, such as 哪儿 (nǎr) and 谁 (shéi). In these cases, 哪儿 (nǎr) or 哪里 (nǎli) would mean "everywhere," and 谁 (shéi) would mean "everyone."

Structures

哪儿 / 哪里 + 都 / 也 + Verb Phrase

谁 + 都 / 也 + Verb Phrase

Examples

  • 我 太 累 了，哪儿 都 不 想 去。Wǒ tài lèi le, nǎr dōu bù xiǎng qù. I'm too tired. I don't want to go anywhere.
  • 他 来 上海 以前，哪里都 没 去 过。 Tā lái Shànghǎi yǐqián, nǎlǐ dōu méi qù guò. Before he came to Shanghai, he hadn't gone anywhere.
  • 在美国，谁 都 知道 Obama。Zài Měiguó, shéi dōu zhīdao Obama. In America, everyone knows Obama.
  • 谁 都 喜欢 看 美女。 Shéi dōu xǐhuan kàn měinǚ. Everyone likes to look at beautiful girls.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books


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