Asking how something is with "zenmeyang"

You may know that 怎么 (zěnme) can mean "how", but by adding to it and making it 怎么样 (zěnmeyàng), you can ask how something is, or what it is like. This is useful in all manner of conversations, and is essential for building conversation skills.

Basic Usage

Structure

This question form is super simple. It is similar to asking the question, "how is...?"

Subj. + 怎么样 ?

Examples

Many of these sample sentences are super common in everyday life, so it's a good idea to get familiar with them.

• 你 最近 怎么样 ？Tā zěnmeyàng ? How have you been recently?
• 中国 怎么样 ？Tā zěnmeyàng ? How is China?
• 北京 冬天 怎么样 ？Tā zěnmeyàng ? How is Beijing in the winter?
• 今天 天气 怎么样 ？Tā zěnmeyàng ? How is the weather today?
• 你 妹妹 的 工作 怎么样 ？Tā zěnmeyàng ? How is your little sister's job going?
• 你的 新 手机 怎么样 ？Tā zěnmeyàng ? How's your new phone?
• 这里 的 菜 怎么样 ？好吃 吗 ？Tā zěnmeyàng ? How is the food here?

Asking Opinions

Structure

In this case, it's most common to negate the adjective after 怎么 (zěnme).

你 觉得 + Topic + 怎么样 ?

This is like asking, "what do you think of...?"

Examples

• 你 觉得 上海 怎么样 ？Nǐ juéde zěnmeyàng ? What do you think of Shanghai?
• 你 觉得 我 怎么样 ？Nǐ juéde zěnmeyàng ? What do you think of me?
• 你 觉得 中文 怎么样 ？ 难学 吗 ？Nǐ juéde zěnmeyàng ? What do you think of Chinese? Is it difficult to learn?

See also

• Placement of question words

Sources and further reading

Books

• HSK Standard Course 1 (pp. 92) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

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