Expressing "some" with question words

The "some" we refer to is the vague, undefined "some" as in "somewhere," "someone," "something," or "sometime." Chinese question words can play this double role.

"Somewhere" with 哪儿

Examples

• 这个 人 我 在 哪儿 见 过 。Zhège rén wǒ zài nǎr jiàn guo.I met this person somewhere.
• 这 首 歌 我 在 哪儿 听 过 。Zhè shǒu gē wǒ zài nǎr tīng guo.I've heard this song somewhere.

"Someone" with 谁

Examples

• 你 让 谁 来 帮 我 一下 。Nǐ ràng shéi lái bāng wǒ yīxià.Ask somebody to help me with this.
• 这 件 事 我 听 谁 说 过 。Zhè jiàn shì wǒ tīng shéi shuō guo.I've heard someone say this before.

"Something" with 什么

Examples

• 我们 应该 做 点儿 什么 。Wǒmen yīnggāi zuò diǎnr shénme.We should do something.
• 老大 ，你 不 说 点儿 什么 ？Lǎodà, nǐ bù shuō diǎnr shénme?Boss, are you going to say something?

"Somehow" with 怎么

Examples

• 我 的 自行车 不知道 怎么 坏 了 。Wǒ de zìxíngchē bù zhīdào zěnme huài le.My bike was somehow broken.
• 宝宝 不知道 怎么 哭 了 。Bǎobao bù zhīdào zěnme le.The baby started crying for no reason.

"Sometime" with 什么时候

Examples

• 什么 时候 我们 见面 谈 吧 。Shénme shíhou wǒmen jiànmiàn tán ba.We should talk about this sometime in the future.
• 什么 时候 你 来 我 新 家 玩 吧 。Shénme shíhou nǐ lái wǒ xīn jiā wán bā.You should come to my new house to hangout sometime in the future.

See also

• Expressing "every" with question words
• Advanced yes-no questions with "ma"