Difference between revisions of "Adjectives with "name" and "zheme""

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* 你 <em>那么</em> 有钱 ,为什么 还 要 工作 ?<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ <em>nàme</em> yǒuqián, wèishénme hái yào gōngzuò. </span><span class="trans">You are so rich. Why are you still working? </span>
 
* 你 <em>那么</em> 有钱 ,为什么 还 要 工作 ?<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ <em>nàme</em> yǒuqián, wèishénme hái yào gōngzuò. </span><span class="trans">You are so rich. Why are you still working? </span>
 
* 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>
 
* 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>
* 中国人口 <em>这么</em>  多 ,当然 会 有 很 多 社会 问题。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguórén <em>zhème</em>  duō, dāngrán huì yǒu hěn duō shèhuì wènti.</span><span class="trans">China has such a big  population. Of course there will be many social problems. </span>
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* 中国人口 <em>这么</em>  多 ,当然 会 有 很 多 社会 问题。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguórén <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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Revision as of 01:31, 17 January 2017

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.

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

  • 你 说得 这么 快,我 怎么 能 听懂? Nǐ shuōde zhème kuài, wǒ zěnme néng tīngdǒng ? You speak so fast. How could I understand you?
  • 你 怎么 变得 这么 漂亮!Nǐ zěnme biànde zhème piàoliang!How did you become so beautiful!
  • 那么 有钱 ,为什么 还 要 工作 ?nàme yǒuqián, wèishénme hái yào gōngzuò. You are so rich. Why are you still working?
  • 这么 大,明天 再 去 吧。zhème dà, míngtiān zài qù ba. It's raining so heavily. How about we go tomorrow?
  • 中国人口 这么 多 ,当然 会 有 很 多 社会 问题。Zhōngguórén zhème duō, dāngrán huì yǒu hěn duō shèhuì wèntí.China has such a big population. Of course there will be many social problems.

When to use which one

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".

See also

Sources and further reading

Books