Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not often" with "bu zenme""

 
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When you use 不怎么 (bù zěnme) in front of a verb, it means "seldom" or "not often."
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{{Grammar Box}}
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You might be tempted to conclude that 不怎么 (bù zěnme) seems to mean "not how," but it actually means "not often" when used together with a verb.
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
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When 不怎么 is used with a verb, it means that one does not put a lot of time or energy into doing it. In other words, the action is done "not often." When the verb is used with an object, it also means that the number (or quantity) is really small.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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Subj. + 不怎么 + Verb
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</div>
  
Statement + 嘛
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== Examples ==
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<div class="liju">
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*他 <em>不怎么</em> 爱 说话 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bù zěnme</em> ài shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't like to talk much.</span>
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*我 老公 <em>不怎么</em> 运动 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ lǎogōng <em>bù zěnme</em> yùndòng.</span><span class="trans">My husband doesn't exercise much.</span>
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*我们 在家 <em>不怎么</em> 看 电视 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zài jiā <em>bù zěnme</em> kàn diànshì.</span><span class="trans">We don't watch a lot of television at home.</span>
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*我 儿子 <em>不怎么</em> 吃 零食 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ érzi <em>bù zěnme</em> chī língshí.</span><span class="trans">My son doesn't snack much.</span>
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*老板 <em>不怎么</em> 来 办公室 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>bù zěnme</em> lái bàngōngshì.</span><span class="trans">My boss doesn't come to the office very often.</span>
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*我 <em>不怎么</em> 在 网上 买 东西 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù zěnme</em> zài wǎngshàng mǎi dóngxi.</span><span class="trans">I don't online shop very often.</span>
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*他们 <em>不怎么</em> 跟 朋友 出去 玩 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>bù zěnme</em> gēn péngyou chūqù wán.</span><span class="trans">They don't often go out with friends.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Examples ==
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== Usage of 没怎么 ==
  
Some examples:
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Note that the examples below use 没 instead of 不. This is because the verb uses or implies 有 and  thus it uses the same [[Negation_of_"you"| the 有 negation rules]].
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* <em>不怎么</em> 说话。
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*<em>没 怎么</em> 复习 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méi zěnme</em> fùxí.</span><span class="trans">I didn't review much.</span>
* 我 <em>不怎么</em> 吃 猪肉。
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*我 <em>没 怎么</em> 想 过 这个 问题 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méi zěnme</em> xiǎng guo zhège wèntí.</span><span class="trans">I didn't really think about this before.</span>
* 我 老公 <em>不怎么</em> 做饭。
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*昨天 我 肚子 不 舒服 ,<em>没 怎么</em> 吃 东西 <span class="pinyin">Zuótiān wǒ dùzi bù shūfu, <em>méi zěnme</em> chī dōngxi.</span><span class="trans">My stomach didn't feel well yesterday, so I didn't eat much.</span>
* 中国 大学生 <em>不怎么</em> 学习。
 
* 最近 我们 <em>不怎么</em> 看 电视
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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Lastly, make sure to use 不怎么 with a verb if you want it to mean "not often." Using it with an adjective gives it a [["Not_very"_with_"bu_zenme" | different meaning]].
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
  
* [[How to do something]]
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* [[How to do something with "zenme"]]
 
* [[Asking why with "zenme"]]
 
* [[Asking why with "zenme"]]
 
* [["Not very" with "bu zenme"]]
 
* [["Not very" with "bu zenme"]]
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
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{{Source|Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)|139}}
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{{Source|现代汉语八百词|652}}
  
* [[Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)]] (pp. 139) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00326U9MS/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B00326U9MS →buy]
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{{Basic Grammar|不怎么|B1|不怎么 + Verb|我 儿子 <em>不怎么</em> 吃 零食 。|grammar point|ASG5BOGP}}
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{{HSK|HSK0}}
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{{Rel char|不}}
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{{Rel char|怎么}}
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{{Used for|Expressing frequency}}
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{{Similar|How to do something with "zenme"}}
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{{Similar|Asking why with "zenme"}}
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{{Similar|"Not very" with "bu zenme"}}
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{{POS|Verbs}}
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{{Subprop|Verb phrases}}

Latest revision as of 08:45, 24 April 2019

You might be tempted to conclude that 不怎么 (bù zěnme) seems to mean "not how," but it actually means "not often" when used together with a verb.

Structure

When 不怎么 is used with a verb, it means that one does not put a lot of time or energy into doing it. In other words, the action is done "not often." When the verb is used with an object, it also means that the number (or quantity) is really small.

Subj. + 不怎么 + Verb

Examples

  • 不怎么 爱 说话 。bù zěnme ài shuōhuà.He doesn't like to talk much.
  • 我 老公 不怎么 运动 。Wǒ lǎogōng bù zěnme yùndòng.My husband doesn't exercise much.
  • 我们 在家 不怎么 看 电视 。Wǒmen zài jiā bù zěnme kàn diànshì.We don't watch a lot of television at home.
  • 我 儿子 不怎么 吃 零食 。Wǒ érzi bù zěnme chī língshí.My son doesn't snack much.
  • 老板 不怎么 来 办公室 。Lǎobǎn bù zěnme lái bàngōngshì.My boss doesn't come to the office very often.
  • 不怎么 在 网上 买 东西 。bù zěnme zài wǎngshàng mǎi dóngxi.I don't online shop very often.
  • 他们 不怎么 跟 朋友 出去 玩 。Tāmen bù zěnme gēn péngyou chūqù wán.They don't often go out with friends.

Usage of 没怎么

Note that the examples below use 没 instead of 不. This is because the verb uses or implies 有 and thus it uses the same the 有 negation rules.

  • 没 怎么 复习 。méi zěnme fùxí.I didn't review much.
  • 没 怎么 想 过 这个 问题 。méi zěnme xiǎng guo zhège wèntí.I didn't really think about this before.
  • 昨天 我 肚子 不 舒服 ,没 怎么 吃 东西 。Zuótiān wǒ dùzi bù shūfu, méi zěnme chī dōngxi.My stomach didn't feel well yesterday, so I didn't eat much.

Lastly, make sure to use 不怎么 with a verb if you want it to mean "not often." Using it with an adjective gives it a different meaning.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books