Adjectives with "name" and "zheme"

In English, the words "that" and "so" are often used to increase the extent of an adjective (ex. "he is so tall" or "this food is so good"). In Chinese, 那么 (nàme) and 这么 (zhème) serve the same function.

Structure

All you have to do to use this grammar structure is put the 那么 or 这么 in front of the adjective.

Subj. + 那么 / 这么 + Adj.

Examples

• 你 说得 这么 快，我 怎么 能 听懂？ Nǐ shuōde zhème kuài, wǒ zěnme néng tīngdǒng ? You speak so fast. How could I understand you?
• 你 怎么 那么 忙？Nǐ zěnme nàme máng?How come you are so busy?
• 雨 这么 大，明天 再 去 吧。 Yǔ zhème dà, míngtiān zài qù ba.It's raining so heavily. How about we go tomorrow?
• 你 那么 有钱 ，为什么 还 要 工作 ？ Nǐ nàme yǒuqián, wèishénme hái yào gōngzuò.You are so rich. Why are you still working?
• 中国 人口 这么 多 ，当然 会 有 很 多 社会 问题。Zhōngguó rénkǒu zhème duō, dāngrán huì yǒu hěn duō shèhuì wèntí.China has such a big population. Of course there will be many social problems.
• 我 没 想到 这个 考试 这么 难。Wǒ méi xiǎng dào zhège kǎoshì zhème nán.I didn't expect this exam is so difficult.
• 你 怎么 有 这么 多 问题 要 问？Nǐ zěnme yǒu zhème duō wèntí yào wèn?How come you have so many questions to ask?
• 这个 老外 怎么 会 了解 那么 多 中国 历史？Zhège lǎowài zěnme huì liǎojiě nàme duō Zhōngguó lìshǐ?How come this foreigner knows so much about Chinese history?
• 今天 这么 冷，你 怎么 穿 那么 少？Jīntiān zhème lěng, nǐ zěnme chuān nàme shǎo?It's so cold today. How come you wear so little?
• 科技 那么 发达 ，什么 都 是 有 可能 的。Kējì nàme fādá, shénme dōu shì yǒu kěnéng de.Science and technology is so developed. Nothing is impossible.

When to use which one

You might be thinking 那 and 这 have different meanings. How can they be used the same way?" Well, there are some differences. "这么" is used when the thing you are talking about is close by, when you would say "this" or "这个." On the other hand, if the object is far away, you would use "那么." Furthermore, this distance doesn't have to be physical, it can also refer to time, so you would use "那么" with things like "yesterday" or "tomorrow."

See also

• The "zui" superlative
• Expressing "excessively" with "tai"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇) (pp. 15) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 71 - 2) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 103) →buy