Difference between revisions of "How to do something with "zenme""

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Here's how you use 怎么 (zěnme).
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怎么 (zěnme) means "how" in Chinese, and it's not hard to use at all. Learn how to use "how" here!
  
 
== The Basic "How to Verb" Something ==
 
== The Basic "How to Verb" Something ==
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Note that the subject can often be omitted from general "how to" questions.
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Note that the subject can often be omitted from general "how to" questions, and there doesn't always have to be an object.
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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* <em>怎么</em> 去?<span class="trans">How do you get there?</span>
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* <em>怎么</em> 去?<span class="expl">(Literally: "how go"?)</span><span class="trans">How do you get there?</span>
* 中文 <em>怎么</em> 说 "apple"?<span class="trans">How do you say "apple" in Chinese?</span>
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* 中文 <em>怎么</em> 说 "apple"?<span class="expl">(Literally: "Chinese how say 'apple'"?)</span><span class="trans">How do you say "apple" in Chinese?</span>
* <em>怎么</em> 用 筷子 吃饭?<span class="trans">How do you use chopstick to eat?</span>
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* <em>怎么</em> 用 筷子 吃饭?<span class="expl">(Literally: "how use chopsticks eat (rice)"?)</span><span class="trans">How do you use chopstick to eat?</span>
* <em>怎么</em>  做饭?<span class="trans">How do you cook?</span>
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* <em>怎么</em>  做饭?<span class="expl">(Literally: "how cook (rice)"?)</span><span class="trans">How do you cook?</span>
  
 
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You'll notice that the topic is usually the object of the verb, just moved to the front of the question.
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The object doesn't have to come after the verb.  Sometimes it moves to the front of the question, establishing what the question is going to be about, before getting specific with the "how" question.
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===

Revision as of 01:34, 15 April 2013

怎么 (zěnme) means "how" in Chinese, and it's not hard to use at all. Learn how to use "how" here!

The Basic "How to Verb" Something

Structure

The question word 怎么 is used to ask how in Chinese. It is inserted in front of the verb that's being asked about:

Subject + 怎么 + Verb + Object

Note that the subject can often be omitted from general "how to" questions, and there doesn't always have to be an object.

Examples

  • 怎么 去?(Literally: "how go"?)How do you get there?
  • 中文 怎么 说 "apple"?(Literally: "Chinese how say 'apple'"?)How do you say "apple" in Chinese?
  • 怎么 用 筷子 吃饭?(Literally: "how use chopsticks eat (rice)"?)How do you use chopstick to eat?
  • 怎么 做饭?(Literally: "how cook (rice)"?)How do you cook?

Topic First

Starting a "how to" question with the topic at the beginning of the question is very common. That is, the thing being asked about is introduced first, then a question is asked about how to do something involving it.

Structure

Topic + 怎么 + Verb

The object doesn't have to come after the verb. Sometimes it moves to the front of the question, establishing what the question is going to be about, before getting specific with the "how" question.

Examples

  • 超市 怎么 走?How do you get to the supermarket?
  • 芒果 怎么 吃?How do you eat mangoes?
  • iPad 怎么 用?How do you use an iPad?
  • 太极拳 怎么 打?How do you do tai-chi?

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

182-184