Difference between revisions of "Asking why with "zenme""
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| − | * 他 <em>怎么</em> 还 没 来 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zěnme</em> hái méi lái? </span> <span class="trans">How come he's not here yet?</span> | + | * 他 <em>怎么</em> 还 没 来 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zěnme</em> hái méi lái? </span><span class="trans">How come he's not here yet?</span> |
| − | * 你们 <em>怎么</em> 打 人？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>zěnme</em> dǎ rén? </span> <span class="trans">How can you hit people? </span> | + | * 你们 <em>怎么</em> 打 人？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>zěnme</em> dǎ rén? </span><span class="trans">How can you hit people? </span> |
| − | * 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 "xièxie"? </span> <span class="trans">He helped you. How come you didn't say thank you? </span> | + | * 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 "xièxie"? </span><span class="trans">He helped you. How come you didn't say thank you? </span> |
| − | * 你 结婚 的时候 <em>怎么</em> 不 告诉 我？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiéhūn de shíhou <em>zěnme</em> bù gàosu wǒ? </span> <span class="trans">How come you didn't tell me when you got married? </span> | + | * 你 结婚 的时候 <em>怎么</em> 不 告诉 我？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiéhūn de shíhou <em>zěnme</em> bù gàosu wǒ? </span><span class="trans">How come you didn't tell me when you got 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 chī wán le? </span> <span class="trans">We haven't started eating yet. How come he has already finished eating? </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 chī wán 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 aren't you going to work? </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 aren't you going to work? </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> | + | * 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> |
| − | * 她 亲 了 你，你 <em>怎么</em> 不 高兴 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā qīn le nǐ, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù gāoxìng? </span> <span class="trans">She kissed you. How come you're not happy? </span> | + | * 她 亲 了 你，你 <em>怎么</em> 不 高兴 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā qīn le nǐ, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù gāoxìng? </span><span class="trans">She kissed you. How come you're not happy? </span> |
| − | * 她 的 小猫 死 了，她 <em>怎么</em> 不 难过？<span class="pinyin">Tā de xiǎomāo sǐ le, tā <em>zěnme</em> bù nánguò? </span> <span class="trans">Her kitten died. Why isn't she sad? </span> | + | * 她 的 小猫 死 了，她 <em>怎么</em> 不 难过？<span class="pinyin">Tā de xiǎomāo sǐ le, tā <em>zěnme</em> bù nánguò? </span><span class="trans">Her kitten died. Why isn't she sad? </span> |
| − | * 每 天 工作 十二 个 小时 ，你 <em>怎么</em> 不 累？<span class="pinyin">Měi tiān gōngzuò shíèr gè xiǎoshí, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù lèi?</span> <span class="trans">Every day 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 shíèr gè xiǎoshí, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù lèi?</span><span class="trans">Every day you work 12 hours, why are you not tired? </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> | + | * 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> |
| − | * 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> |
| − | * 这些人 <em>怎么</em> 这么 吵？<span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē rén <em>zěnme</em> zhème chǎo? </span> <span class="trans">How can these people so loud? </span> | + | * 这些人 <em>怎么</em> 这么 吵？<span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē 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> | + | * 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> 这么 好？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de Hànyǔ <em>zěnme</em> zhème hǎo? </span> <span class="trans">How is your Chinese so good? </span> | + | * 你的 汉语 <em>怎么</em> 这么 好？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de Hànyǔ <em>zěnme</em> zhème hǎo? </span><span class="trans">How is your Chinese so good? </span> |
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Revision as of 03:57, 24 May 2017
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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 Pattern
With a Verb
Structure
Similar to the question word 为什么 (wèishénme), 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 怎么 还 没 来 ？How come he's not here yet?
- 你们 怎么 打 人？How can you hit people?
- 他 帮 了 你，你 怎么 不 说 “谢谢” ？He helped you. How come you didn't say thank you?
- 你 结婚 的时候 怎么 不 告诉 我？How come you didn't tell me when you got married?
- 我们 还 没 开始 吃，他 怎么 已经 吃完 了？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？Today is Monday. Why aren't you going to work?
With an Adjective
Structure
In this case, you need some negative words after 怎么 (zěnme).
Subj. + 怎么 + [Negative Adj.]
Examples
- 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?
- 她 亲 了 你，你 怎么 不 高兴 ？She kissed you. How come you're not happy?
- 她 的 小猫 死 了，她 怎么 不 难过？Her kitten died. Why isn't she sad?
- 每 天 工作 十二 个 小时 ，你 怎么 不 累？Every day you work 12 hours, why are you not tired?
"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
- 他 怎么 那么 懒？How can he be this lazy?
- 昨天 怎么 那么 冷？How could it be so cold yesterday?
- 这些人 怎么 这么 吵？How can these people so loud?
- 北京 的 空气 怎么 那么 差？How can the air in Beijing be so bad?
- 你的 汉语 怎么 这么 好？How is your Chinese so good?
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
