Difference between revisions of "Adjectives with "name" and "zheme""
 
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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.  
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In  English, the words "that" and "so" are often used to emphasize the degree of an adjective (ex. "he is so tall" or "the food is so good"). In Chinese, 那么 (nàme) and 这么 (zhème) serve the same function.  
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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*他 说得 <em>这么</em> 快 ，你们 听 得 懂 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā shuōde <em>zhème</em> kuài,  nǐmen tīng de dǒng ma?</span><span class="trans">He speaks so fast. Can you understand?</span>
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*他 说得 <em>这么</em> 快 ，你们 听 得 懂 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā shuō de <em>zhème</em> kuài,  nǐmen tīng de dǒng ma?</span><span class="trans">He speaks so fast. Can you guys understand?</span>
 
*我 没 想到 这个 考试 <em>这么</em> 难 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ méi xiǎng dào zhège kǎoshì <em>zhème</em> nán.</span><span class="trans">I didn't expect this exam would be this difficult.</span>
 
*我 没 想到 这个 考试 <em>这么</em> 难 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ méi xiǎng dào zhège kǎoshì <em>zhème</em> nán.</span><span class="trans">I didn't expect this exam would be this difficult.</span>
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*雨 <em>这么</em> 大，明天 再 去 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Yǔ <em>zhème</em> dà, míngtiān zài qù ba.</span><span class="trans">It's raining so heavily. How about we go tomorrow?</span>
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*雨 <em>这么</em> 大，明天 再 去 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Yǔ <em>zhème</em> dà, míngtiān zài qù ba.</span><span class="trans">The rain is so heavy. How about we go tomorrow?</span>
 
*你 <em>那么</em> 聪明 ，一定 能 猜到 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>nàme</em> cōngming, yīdìng néng cāi dào.</span><span class="trans">You're so smart. You can definitely guess it.</span>
 
*你 <em>那么</em> 聪明 ，一定 能 猜到 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>nàme</em> cōngming, yīdìng néng cāi dào.</span><span class="trans">You're so smart. You can definitely guess it.</span>
 
*老板 <em>那么</em> 忙 ，肯定 没 时间 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>nàme</em> máng, kěndìng méi shíjiān.</span><span class="trans">The boss is so busy. He definitely won't have time for this.</span>
 
*老板 <em>那么</em> 忙 ，肯定 没 时间 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>nàme</em> máng, kěndìng méi shíjiān.</span><span class="trans">The boss is so busy. He definitely won't have time for this.</span>
 
*今天 怎么 <em>这么</em> 冷 ？<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān zěnme <em>zhème</em> lěng?</span><span class="trans">Why is it so cold today?</span>
 
*今天 怎么 <em>这么</em> 冷 ？<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān zěnme <em>zhème</em> lěng?</span><span class="trans">Why is it so cold today?</span>
 
*你 怎么 <em>这么</em> 没 礼貌 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zěnme <em>zhème</em> méi lǐmào?</span><span class="trans">How can you be this impolite?</span>
 
*你 怎么 <em>这么</em> 没 礼貌 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zěnme <em>zhème</em> méi lǐmào?</span><span class="trans">How can you be this impolite?</span>
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*这个 老外 怎么 会 了解 <em>那么</em> 多 中国 历史 ？<span class="pinyin">Zhège lǎowài zěnme huì  liǎojiě <em>nàme</em> duō Zhōngguó lìshǐ?</span><span class="trans">How could this foreigner know that much about Chinese history?</span>
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*这个 外国人 怎么 会 了解 <em>那么</em> 多 中国 历史 ？<span class="pinyin">Zhège wàiguórén zěnme huì  liǎojiě <em>nàme</em> duō Zhōngguó lìshǐ?</span><span class="trans">How could this foreigner know that much about Chinese history?</span>
 
*中国 人口 <em>这么</em>  多 ，当然 会 有 很 多 社会 问题 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó rénkǒu <em>zhème</em>  duō, dāngrán huì yǒu hěn duō shèhuì wèntí.</span><span class="trans">China has such a big  population. Of course there will be many social problems.</span>
 
*中国 人口 <em>这么</em>  多 ，当然 会 有 很 多 社会 问题 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó rénkǒu <em>zhème</em>  duō, dāngrán huì yǒu hěn duō shèhuì wèntí.</span><span class="trans">China has such a big  population. Of course there will be many social problems.</span>
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*科技 <em>那么</em> 发达 ，什么 都 是 有 可能 的 。<span class="pinyin">Kējì <em>nàme</em> fādá, shénme dōu shì yǒu kěnéng de.</span><span class="trans">Science and technology is so developed. Nothing is impossible.</span>
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*科技 <em>那么</em> 发达 ，什么 都 是 有 可能 的 。<span class="pinyin">Kējì <em>nàme</em> fādá, shénme dōu shì yǒu kěnéng de.</span><span class="trans">Science and technology is so developed. Anything is possible.</span>
  
 
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== When to use which one ==
 
== When to use which one ==
  
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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."
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You might be thinking that since 这 ("this") and 那 ("that") have totally different meanings, how could they be used in an essentially interchangeable way? Well, there are some differences. 这么 is used when the subject is close by (either in space or in time), when you would say "this" or 这个. On the other hand, if the subject is far away (or in the past), you would likely use 那么.
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK3}}
 
[[Category:Adjectives]]
 
[[Category:Adjectives]]
  

Latest revision as of 07:55, 14 May 2019

In English, the words "that" and "so" are often used to emphasize the degree of an adjective (ex. "he is so tall" or "the 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

You could think of 这么 as "this" or "so," and 那么 as "that" or "so."

  • 他 说得 这么 快 ，你们 听 得 懂 吗 ？Tā shuō de zhème kuài, nǐmen tīng de dǒng ma?He speaks so fast. Can you guys understand?
  • 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 would be this difficult.
  • 雨 这么 大，明天 再 去 吧 。Yǔ zhème dà, míngtiān zài qù ba.The rain is so heavy. How about we go tomorrow?
  • 你 那么 聪明 ，一定 能 猜到 。Nǐ nàme cōngming, yīdìng néng cāi dào.You're so smart. You can definitely guess it.
  • 老板 那么 忙 ，肯定 没 时间 。Lǎobǎn nàme máng, kěndìng méi shíjiān.The boss is so busy. He definitely won't have time for this.
  • 今天 怎么 这么 冷 ？Jīntiān zěnme zhème lěng?Why is it so cold today?
  • 你 怎么 这么 没 礼貌 ？Nǐ zěnme zhème méi lǐmào?How can you be this impolite?
  • 这个 外国人 怎么 会 了解 那么 多 中国 历史 ？Zhège wàiguórén zěnme huì liǎojiě nàme duō Zhōngguó lìshǐ?How could this foreigner know that much about Chinese history?
  • 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.
  • 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. Anything is possible.

When to use which one

You might be thinking that since 这 ("this") and 那 ("that") have totally different meanings, how could they be used in an essentially interchangeable way? Well, there are some differences. 这么 is used when the subject is close by (either in space or in time), when you would say "this" or 这个. On the other hand, if the subject is far away (or in the past), you would likely use 那么.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books


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