Difference between revisions of "Placement of question words"
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How does one ask questions in Chinese? This article will tell you how questions are formed and where the questions words are supposed to go. After all, one of the best ways to learn is to ask questions! | How does one ask questions in Chinese? This article will tell you how questions are formed and where the questions words are supposed to go. After all, one of the best ways to learn is to ask questions! | ||
| − | == Common question words list == | + | == Overview == |
| + | |||
| + | === Common question words list === | ||
Question words are one way to form questions in Chinese. In English, question words are also known as ''wh-words'', as the majority of them begin with ''wh'': | Question words are one way to form questions in Chinese. In English, question words are also known as ''wh-words'', as the majority of them begin with ''wh'': | ||
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This works for whatever it is you want to ask about. The question form has the same word order as the statement form. | This works for whatever it is you want to ask about. The question form has the same word order as the statement form. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Expressing "who" with 谁(shéi) == | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| + | Subject + 是 + 谁 ? | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| + | 谁 + Verb ? | ||
| + | </div> | ||
=== Examples === | === Examples === | ||
| − | + | <div class="liju"> | |
| + | * 你 是 <em>谁</em>？ | ||
| + | * 我 是 成龙. | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | * 她 是 <em>谁</em>？ | ||
| + | * 她 是 我 的 老师。 | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | * <em>谁</em>去？ | ||
| + | * 我 去。 | ||
| + | </div> | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | * <em>谁</em> 想 喝 茶？ | ||
| + | * 我 想 喝 茶。 | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| − | + | == Expressing "where" with 哪里(nǎli)/哪儿(nǎr) == | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | === Structure === | |
| − | + | ||
| + | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Subject + Verb + 哪里/哪儿 ? | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | + | === Examples === | |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | |||
* 你 在 <em>哪里</em>？<span class="trans">Where are you?</span> | * 你 在 <em>哪里</em>？<span class="trans">Where are you?</span> | ||
* 我 在 <em>北京</em>。<span class="trans">I'm in Beijing.</span> | * 我 在 <em>北京</em>。<span class="trans">I'm in Beijing.</span> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | * 你 去 <em>哪里</em>？<span class="trans">Where are you going to?</span> | ||
| + | * 我 去 <em>上海</em>。<span class="trans">I'm going to Shanghai.</span> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
* 我们 在 <em>哪儿</em>？<span class="trans">Where are we?</span> | * 我们 在 <em>哪儿</em>？<span class="trans">Where are we?</span> | ||
* 我们 在 <em>南京西路</em>。<span class="trans">We are at West Nanjing road.</span> | * 我们 在 <em>南京西路</em>。<span class="trans">We are at West Nanjing road.</span> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Expressing "what" with 什么(shénme) == | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Subject + Verb + 什么 + (Noun) ? | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | + | === Examples === | |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | * 这 是 <em>什么</em>？<span class="trans">What is this?</span> | ||
| + | * 这 是 <em>书</em>。<span class="trans">This is a book.</span> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | * 那 是 <em>什么</em>？<span class="trans">What is that?</span> | ||
| + | * 那 是 <em>桌子</em>。<span class="trans">That is a desk.</span> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | * 你 有 <em>什么</em>？<span class="trans">What do you have?</span> | ||
| + | * 我 有 <em>钱</em>。<span class="trans">I have money.</span> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | * 你 看 <em>什么</em>？<span class="trans">What are you looking?</span> | ||
| + | * 我 看 <em>美女</em>。<span class="trans">I am looking at pretty girls.</span> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Expressing "when" with 什么时候(shénme shíhou) == | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Subject + 什么时候 + Predicate ? | ||
| + | |||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | An example for asking and telling ''when'' (to keep things simple, we'll just include questions about the future; asking questions about the past is slightly more complicated and involves the [["Shi... de" construction]]). | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Examples === | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
* 你 <em>什么时候</em> 来 ？ <span class="trans">When are you coming?</span> | * 你 <em>什么时候</em> 来 ？ <span class="trans">When are you coming?</span> | ||
* 我 <em>明天</em> 来 。<span class="trans">I'm coming tomorrow.</span> | * 我 <em>明天</em> 来 。<span class="trans">I'm coming tomorrow.</span> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
* 我们 <em>什么时候</em> 吃饭 ？<span class="trans">When are we eating?</span> | * 我们 <em>什么时候</em> 吃饭 ？<span class="trans">When are we eating?</span> | ||
* 我们 <em>6 点</em> 吃饭。<span class="trans">We're eating at 6:00.</span> | * 我们 <em>6 点</em> 吃饭。<span class="trans">We're eating at 6:00.</span> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Expressing "why" with 为什么(wèishénme) == | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Subject + 什么时候 + Predicate ? | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | An example for asking and telling '' | + | An example for asking and telling ''when'' (to keep things simple, we'll just include questions about the future; asking questions about the past is slightly more complicated and involves the [["Shi... de" construction]]). |
| + | |||
| + | === Examples === | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | |||
* 你 <em>为什么</em> 学 中文？<span class="trans">Why do you study Chinese?</span> | * 你 <em>为什么</em> 学 中文？<span class="trans">Why do you study Chinese?</span> | ||
* <em>因为</em> 我 在 中国。<span class="trans"> Because I'm in China.</span> | * <em>因为</em> 我 在 中国。<span class="trans"> Because I'm in China.</span> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
* 你 <em>为什么</em> 不 高兴？<span class="trans">Why are you not happy?</span> | * 你 <em>为什么</em> 不 高兴？<span class="trans">Why are you not happy?</span> | ||
* <em>因为</em> 我 在 学 中文。<span class="trans">Because I am studying Chinese.</span> | * <em>因为</em> 我 在 学 中文。<span class="trans">Because I am studying Chinese.</span> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Expressing "how" with 怎么(zěnme) == | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Subject + 怎么 + Verb + Object ? | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | + | === Examples === | |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | |||
* 你 <em>怎么</em> 学习 中文？<span class="trans">How do you study Chinese?</span> | * 你 <em>怎么</em> 学习 中文？<span class="trans">How do you study Chinese?</span> | ||
* 我 <em> 用 <span class="spaced">Grammar Wiki</span></em> 。<span class="trans">I use the Grammar Wiki.</span> | * 我 <em> 用 <span class="spaced">Grammar Wiki</span></em> 。<span class="trans">I use the Grammar Wiki.</span> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
* 你 <em>怎么</em> 上网？<span class="trans">Why do you go online?</span> | * 你 <em>怎么</em> 上网？<span class="trans">Why do you go online?</span> | ||
* 我 <em>用 手机</em> 上网。<span class="trans">I use my cell phone to go online.</span> | * 我 <em>用 手机</em> 上网。<span class="trans">I use my cell phone to go online.</span> | ||
| − | |||
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 06:22, 10 February 2014
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How does one ask questions in Chinese? This article will tell you how questions are formed and where the questions words are supposed to go. After all, one of the best ways to learn is to ask questions!
Contents
Overview
Common question words list
Question words are one way to form questions in Chinese. In English, question words are also known as wh-words, as the majority of them begin with wh:
- 谁 (shéi)In spoken Chinese, people used to say "shéi", not "shuí" who
- 哪里 (nǎli) where
- 哪儿 (nǎr)where
- 什么时候 (shénme shíhou) when
- 为什么 (wèishénme) why
- 怎么 (zěnme) how
Rules
In English, question words have to be placed at the beginning of the sentence. This involves changing the word order to allow this rearrangement. In Chinese, using question words is a lot simpler. You simply place a question word in the place of the thing you want to ask about. Nothing needs to be rearranged.
So if the statement is
- 我 是 小李。I am Xiao Li.
the question form - "who are you?" - has the same word order:
- 你 是 谁？Who are you? (you are who?)
This works for whatever it is you want to ask about. The question form has the same word order as the statement form.
Expressing "who" with 谁(shéi)
Structure
Subject + 是 + 谁 ?
谁 + Verb ?
Examples
- 你 是 谁？
- 我 是 成龙.
- 她 是 谁？
- 她 是 我 的 老师。
- 谁去？
- 我 去。
- 谁 想 喝 茶？
- 我 想 喝 茶。
Expressing "where" with 哪里(nǎli)/哪儿(nǎr)
Structure
Subject + Verb + 哪里/哪儿 ?
Examples
- 你 在 哪里？Where are you?
- 我 在 北京。I'm in Beijing.
- 你 去 哪里？Where are you going to?
- 我 去 上海。I'm going to Shanghai.
- 我们 在 哪儿？Where are we?
- 我们 在 南京西路。We are at West Nanjing road.
Expressing "what" with 什么(shénme)
Structure
Subject + Verb + 什么 + (Noun) ?
Examples
- 这 是 什么？What is this?
- 这 是 书。This is a book.
- 那 是 什么？What is that?
- 那 是 桌子。That is a desk.
- 你 有 什么？What do you have?
- 我 有 钱。I have money.
- 你 看 什么？What are you looking?
- 我 看 美女。I am looking at pretty girls.
Expressing "when" with 什么时候(shénme shíhou)
Structure
Subject + 什么时候 + Predicate ?
An example for asking and telling when (to keep things simple, we'll just include questions about the future; asking questions about the past is slightly more complicated and involves the "Shi... de" construction).
Examples
- 你 什么时候 来 ？ When are you coming?
- 我 明天 来 。I'm coming tomorrow.
- 我们 什么时候 吃饭 ？When are we eating?
- 我们 6 点 吃饭。We're eating at 6:00.
Expressing "why" with 为什么(wèishénme)
Structure
Subject + 什么时候 + Predicate ?
An example for asking and telling when (to keep things simple, we'll just include questions about the future; asking questions about the past is slightly more complicated and involves the "Shi... de" construction).
Examples
- 你 为什么 学 中文？Why do you study Chinese?
- 因为 我 在 中国。 Because I'm in China.
- 你 为什么 不 高兴？Why are you not happy?
- 因为 我 在 学 中文。Because I am studying Chinese.
Expressing "how" with 怎么(zěnme)
Structure
Subject + 怎么 + Verb + Object ?
Examples
- 你 怎么 学习 中文？How do you study Chinese?
- 我 用 Grammar Wiki 。I use the Grammar Wiki.
- 你 怎么 上网？Why do you go online?
- 我 用 手机 上网。I use my cell phone to go online.
See also
Sources and further reading
- Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 23) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 132-5) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (pp. 57) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed) (pp. 66, 251) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)→buy
