Difference between revisions of "How to do something with "zenme""

Latest revision as of 09:23, 20 April 2021

Level

A1 / HSK1
Level

A1
Level

HSK1
Similar to
Similar to
- Expressing "not often" with "bu zenme" (HSK0)
- Expressing "not very" with "bu zenme" (HSK0)
- Asking how something is with "zenmeyang" (HSK1)
- Placement of question words (HSK1)
- Asking why with "zenme" (HSK2)
Used for

Asking questions
Keywords

怎么

怎么 (zěnme) means "how" in Chinese, and it's not hard to use at all: just put it before a verb.

The Basic "How to Verb" Usage

Structure

The question word 怎么 (zěnme) is used to ask how in Chinese. It is inserted in front of the verb that's being asked about:

Subj. + 怎么 + Verb + Obj.

Note that the subject can often be omitted from general "how to" questions, and there doesn't always have to be an object.

Examples

你们怎么学中文？Nǐmen zěnme xué Zhōngwén?How do you study Chinese?
你怎么上班？坐地铁吗？Nǐ zěnme shàngbān? Zuò dìtiě ma?How do you get to work? By metro?
你知道怎么去外滩吗？Nǐ zhīdào zěnme qù Wàitān ma?Do you know how to get to the Bund?
你怎么知道我喜欢旅行？Nǐ zěnme zhīdào wǒ xǐhuan lǚxíng?How did you know I like to travel?
我不知道怎么跟女孩子说话。Wǒ bù zhīdào zěnme gēn nǚháizi shuōhuà.I don't know how to talk to girls.

Topic First

Starting a "how to" question with the topic at the beginning of the question is very common. That is, the thing being asked about is introduced first, then a question is asked about how to do something involving it.

Structure

Topic + 怎么 + Verb

The object doesn't have to come after the verb. Sometimes it moves to the front of the question, establishing what the question is going to be about, before getting specific with the "how" question.

Examples

芒果怎么吃？Mángguǒ zěnme chī?How do you eat mangos?
iPad 怎么用？iPad zěnme yòng?How do you use an iPad?
语法怎么学？Yǔfǎ zěnme xué?How do you study grammar?
中国菜 怎么做？Zhōngguó cài zěnme zuò?How do you cook Chinese food?
"Apple" 怎么说？the "in Chinese" is implied"Apple" zěnme shuō?How do you say apple?

Sources and further reading

HSK Standard Course 1 (pp. 42) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 191) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 651-2]] (pp. {{{2}}}) [ →buy] 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 651-2| ]]{{{2}}}␞现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 651-2␞How to do something with "zenme"| ]]
Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 163) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Grammar Box}} \r\n怎么 (zěnme) means "how" in Chinese, and it's not hard to use at all.  Learn how to use "how" here!\r\n== The Basic "How to Verb" Something ==\r\n=== Structure ===\r\nThe question word 怎么 is used to ask ''how'' in Chinese. It is inserted in front of the verb that's being asked about:\r\n<div class="jiegou">\r\nSubject + 怎么 + Verb + Object\r\n</div>\r\nNote that the subject can often be omitted from general "how to" questions, and there doesn't always have to be an object.\r\n=== Examples ===\r\n<div class="liju">\r\n* <em>怎么</em> 去？<span class="expl">(Literally: "how go"?)</span><span class="trans">How do you get there?</span>
+{{Grammar Box}}
-* 用中文 <em>怎么</em> 说 "apple"？<span class="expl">(Literally: "Chinese how say 'apple'"?)</span><span class="trans">How do you say "apple" in Chinese?</span>
-* <em>怎么</em> 用 筷子 吃饭？<span class="expl">(Literally: "how use chopsticks eat (rice)"?)</span><span class="trans">How do you use chopstick to eat?</span>
+怎么 (zěnme) means "how" in Chinese, and it's not hard to use at all: just put it before a [[verb]].
-* <em>怎么</em>  做饭？<span class="expl">(Literally: "how cook (rice)"?)</span><span class="trans">How do you cook?</span>
-* 你 <em>怎么</em> 上班？坐 地铁 吗？<span class="trans">How do you go to work? By subway?</span>
+== The Basic "How to Verb" Usage ==
-* 你 <em>怎么</em> 学 中文？<span class="trans">How do you study Chinese?</span>
-* 你 知道 <em>怎么</em> 用 手机 上网 吗？<span class="trans">Do you know how to use the cellphone internet?</span>
+=== Structure ===
-* <em>怎么</em> 学 语法？<span class="trans">How do you study grammar?</span>
-* 你 <em>怎么</em> 知道 我 喜欢 旅游？<span class="trans">How do you know I like to swim?</span>
+The question word 怎么 (zěnme) is used to ask ''how'' in Chinese. It is inserted in front of the verb that's being asked about:
-* 我们 应该 <em>怎么</em> 告诉 他？<span class="trans">How should we tell him?</span>
-* <em>怎么</em> 追 女孩子？<span class="trans">How do you run after girls?</span>\r\n</div>\r\n== Topic First ==\r\nStarting a "how to" question with the [[Topic-comment sentences|topic]] at the beginning of the question is very common. That is, the thing being asked about is introduced first, then a question is asked about how to do something involving it.\r\n=== Structure ===\r\n<div class="jiegou">\r\nTopic + 怎么 + Verb\r\n</div>\r\nThe object doesn't have to come after the verb.  Sometimes it moves to the front of the question, establishing what the question is going to be about, before getting specific with the "how" question.\r\n=== Examples ===\r\n<div class="liju">\r\n* <strong>超市</strong> <em>怎么</em> 走？<span class="trans">How do you get to the supermarket?</span>
+<div class="jiegou">
-* <strong>芒果</strong> <em>怎么</em> 吃？<span class="trans">How do you eat mangoes?</span>
-* <strong>iPad</strong> <em>怎么</em> 用？<span class="trans">How do you use an iPad?</span>
+Subj. + 怎么 + Verb + Obj.
-* <strong>太极拳</strong> <em>怎么</em> 打？<span class="trans">How do you do tai-chi?</span>
-*  "apple" 用 中文 <em>怎么</em> 说？<span class="trans">How do you say "apple" in Chinese?</span>
+</div>
-* 你 知道 用 手机 <em>怎么</em>  上网 吗？<span class="trans"></span>
-* 语法 <em>怎么</em> 学 ？<span class="trans"></span>
+Note that the subject can often be omitted from general "how to" questions, and there doesn't always have to be an object.
-* 我 喜欢 旅游 你 <em>怎么</em> 知道 ？<span class="trans"></span>
-* 女孩子<em>怎么</em> 追？<span class="trans"></span>
+=== Examples ===
-* 这么 多 苹果 怎么 吃 ？<span class="trans"></span>\r\n</div>\r\n== See also ==\r\n*[[Placement of question words]]
-*[[Asking questions]]\r\n== Sources and further reading ==\r\n* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 191) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl →buy]
+<div class="liju">
+*你们 <em>怎么</em> 学 中文？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>zěnme</em> xué Zhōngwén?</span><span class="trans">How do you study Chinese?</span>
+*你 <em>怎么</em> 上班？坐 地铁 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zěnme</em> shàngbān? Zuò dìtiě ma?</span><span class="trans">How do you get to work? By metro?</span>
+*你 知道 <em>怎么</em> 去 外滩 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhīdào <em>zěnme</em> qù Wàitān ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you know how to get to the Bund?</span>
+*你 <em>怎么</em> 知道 我 喜欢 旅行？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zěnme</em> zhīdào wǒ xǐhuan lǚxíng?</span><span class="trans">How did you know I like to travel?</span>
+*我 不 知道 <em>怎么</em> 跟 女孩子 说话。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù zhīdào <em>zěnme</em> gēn nǚháizi shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">I don't know how to talk to girls.</span>
+</div>
+== Topic First ==
+Starting a "how to" question with the [[Topic-comment sentences|topic]] at the beginning of the question is very common. That is, the thing being asked about is introduced first, then a question is asked about how to do something involving it.
+=== Structure ===
+<div class="jiegou">
+Topic + 怎么 + Verb
+</div>
+The object doesn't have to come after the verb.  Sometimes it moves to the front of the question, establishing what the question is going to be about, before getting specific with the "how" question.
+=== Examples ===
+<div class="liju">
+* <strong>芒果</strong> <em>怎么</em> 吃？<span class="pinyin"><Strong>Mángguǒ </strong> <em>zěnme</em> chī?</span><span class="trans">How do you eat mangos?</span>
+* <strong>iPad</strong> <em>怎么</em> 用？<span class="pinyin"><Strong>iPad</strong> <em>zěnme</em> yòng?</span><span class="trans">How do you use an iPad?</span>
+* <strong>语法</strong> <em>怎么</em> 学 ？<span class="pinyin"><Strong>Yǔfǎ </strong> <em>zěnme</em> xué?</span><span class="trans">How do you study grammar?</span>
+* <strong>中国 菜</strong> <em>怎么</em> 做？<span class="pinyin"><Strong>Zhōngguó cài </strong> <em>zěnme</em> zuò?</span><span class="trans">How do you cook Chinese food?</span>
+* <strong>"Apple"</strong> <em>怎么</em> 说？<span class="expl">the "in Chinese" is implied</span><span class="pinyin"><strong>"Apple" </strong> <em>zěnme</em> shuō?</span><span class="trans">How do you say apple?</span>
+</div>
+== See Also ==
+*[[Placement of question words]]
+*[[Asking questions]]
+== Sources and further reading ==
+{{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|42}}
+{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|191}}
+{{Source|现代汉语八百词（增订本）]]  (pp. 651-2}}
+{{Source|Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide|163}}
 [[Category:A1 grammar points]]
-* [[现代汉语八百词（增订本）]]  (pp. 651-2) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]\r\n{{Used for|Asking questions}}
+{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
-－184
+{{Basic Grammar|怎么|A1|怎么 + Verb ?|<em>怎么</em> 走?|grammar point|ASGH2MNO}}
-{{Basic Grammar|怎么|A1|怎么 + V ?|<em>怎么</em> 去 ?|grammar point|ASGH2MNO}}
+{{Similar|Asking why with "zenme"}}
 {{Similar|Placement of question words}}
-{{Similar|Asking questions}}
 {{Similar|"Not often" with "bu zenme"}}
 {{Used for|Asking questions}}

Difference between revisions of "How to do something with "zenme""

Latest revision as of 09:23, 20 April 2021

Contents

The Basic "How to Verb" Usage

Structure

Examples

Topic First

Structure

Examples

See Also

Sources and further reading