Difference between revisions of "Expressing "everything" with "shenme dou""
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| − | * 生病 以后，爸爸 <em>什么</em> 酒 <em>都</em> <strong>不</strong> | + | * 生病 以后，爸爸 <em>什么</em> 酒 <em>都</em> <strong>不</strong> 能 喝 了。 <span class="pinyin">Shēngbìng yǐhòu, bàba <em>shénme</em> jiǔ <em>dōu</em> <strong>bù</strong>néng hē le.</span> <span class="trans">After dad got sick, he can't drink any kind of alcohol.</span> |
| − | * 老板 现在 很 生气，<em>什么</em> 人 <em> | + | * 老板 现在 很 生气，<em>什么</em> 人 <em>也</em> <strong>不</strong> 见。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎobán xiànzài hěn shēngqì,<em>shénme</em> rén <em> yě</em> <strong>bù</strong> bù jiàn.</span> <span class="trans">Things in small cities are not expensive at all.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 今天 我 不 舒服， <em>什么</em> 东西 <em>都</em> <strong>没</strong> 吃 。 <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǒ bù shūfu, <em>shénme</em> dōngxī <em>dōu</em> <strong>méi</strong> chī.</span> <span class="trans">Today I'm not well, so I didn't eat anything.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 昨天 开会 的时候，她 <em>什么</em> 话 <em>也</em> <strong>没</strong> 说。 <span class="pinyin">Zuótiān kāihuì de shíhou, tā <em>shénme</em> huà <em>yě</em> <strong>méi</strong> shuō .</span> <span class="trans">She didn't say anything at yesterday's meeting.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 你 在 家里 怎么 <em>什么</em> 事 <em>都</em> <strong>不</strong> 做？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ zài jiālǐ zěnme <em>shénme</em> shì <em>dōu</em> <strong> bù </strong> zuò?</span> <span class="trans">How come you haven't done anything at home?</span> |
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Revision as of 09:52, 4 November 2015
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Keywords
什么... 都/也 (shénme... dōu/yě) is a pattern often used to express "all" or "everything." This pattern also works with other question words, such as 哪儿 (nǎr) and 什么时候 (shénme shíhou).
Contents
Basic Structures
什么... 都/也 (shénme... dōu/yě)
The structure is very clear, as many Chinese grammar points are. In this structure, 都 (dōu) is more frequently used than 也 (yě)。
Topic + 什么 + 都/也 + Verb/Adj.
Examples
- 很 多 人 觉得 外国 的 东西 什么 都 好。 Many people think that all foreign things are good.
- 我 觉得 这里 的 菜 什么 都 好吃。 I think everything is delicious here.
- 中国 的 历史 爸爸 什么 都 知道。 My dad knows everything about Chinese history.
- 工作 的 事情 老公 什么 都 跟 我 说。 My husband tells me everything about working stuff.
- 家务活 我 什么 都 会 做。 I can do every piece of housework.
Targeted Structures
Structures with a Noun
什么 + Noun + 都
什么 + Noun + 也
Examples with Nouns
- 我们 什么 酒 都 喝。 We can drink all alcohol.
- 她 什么 衣服 都 是 黑色 的 。 All of her clothes are black.
- 妈妈 做 的 什么 菜 都 好吃。 All of the dishes mom makes are tasty.
- 我男朋友 什么 运动 都 喜欢 。 My boyfriend likes all kinds of sports.
- 你 不 应该 什么 话 都 跟 他 说。 You shouldn't have told everything to him.
Negative Structures
Structures with 不/没
The negative structure simply adds a 不 (bù) or a 没 (méi) after the 都 (dōu)/也 (yě). Instead of "all" or "everything," this expresses "none" or "not any."
什么 + Noun. + 都/也 + 不
什么 + Noun + 都/也 + 没
Negative Examples
- 生病 以后，爸爸 什么 酒 都 不 能 喝 了。 After dad got sick, he can't drink any kind of alcohol.
- 老板 现在 很 生气，什么 人 也 不 见。 Things in small cities are not expensive at all.
- 今天 我 不 舒服， 什么 东西 都 没 吃 。 Today I'm not well, so I didn't eat anything.
- 昨天 开会 的时候，她 什么 话 也 没 说。 She didn't say anything at yesterday's meeting.
- 你 在 家里 怎么 什么 事 都 不 做？ How come you haven't done anything at home?
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) (p. 195)→buy
- Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 286-8) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 216-7) →buy
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册） (p. 314)→buy
