怎么 (zěnme) means "how" in Chinese, and it's not hard to use at all:
just put it before a [verb](verb "wikilink").

The Basic "How to Verb" Usage
-----------------------------

### Structure

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

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 怎么 + Verb + Obj.

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

### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   你们 <em>怎么</em> 学 中文？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen
    <em>zěnme</em> xué Zhōngwén?</span><span class="trans">How do you
    study Chinese?</span>
-   你 <em>怎么</em> 上班？坐 地铁 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ
    <em>zěnme</em> shàngbān? Zuò dìtiě ma?</span><span class="trans">How
    do you get to work? By metro?</span>
-   你 知道 <em>怎么</em> 去 外滩 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhīdào
    <em>zěnme</em> qù​ Wàitān ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you know
    how to get to the Bund?</span>
-   你 <em>怎么</em> 知道 我 喜欢 旅行？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ
    <em>zěnme</em> zhīdào wǒ xǐhuan
    lǚxíng?</span><span class="trans">How did you know I like to
    travel?</span>
-   我 不 知道 <em>怎么</em> 跟 女孩子 说话。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù
    zhīdào <em>zěnme</em> gēn nǚháizi
    shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">I don't know how to talk to
    girls.</span>

</div>
Topic First
-----------

Starting a "how to" question with the
[topic](Topic-comment_sentences "wikilink") 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

<div class="jiegou">
Topic + 怎么 + Verb

</div>
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

<div class="liju">
-   <strong>芒果</strong> <em>怎么</em>
    吃？<span class="pinyin"><Strong>Mángguǒ </strong> <em>zěnme</em>
    chī?</span><span class="trans">How do you eat mangos?</span>
-   <strong>iPad</strong> <em>怎么</em>
    用？<span class="pinyin"><Strong>iPad</strong> <em>zěnme</em>
    yòng?</span><span class="trans">How do you use an iPad?</span>
-   <strong>语法</strong> <em>怎么</em> 学
    ？<span class="pinyin"><Strong>Yǔfǎ </strong> <em>zěnme</em>
    xué?</span><span class="trans">How do you study grammar?</span>
-   <strong>中国 菜</strong> <em>怎么</em>
    做？<span class="pinyin"><Strong>Zhōngguó cài </strong>
    <em>zěnme</em> zuò?</span><span class="trans">How do you cook
    Chinese food?</span>
-   <strong>"Apple"</strong> <em>怎么</em> 说？<span class="expl">the
    "in Chinese" is implied</span><span class="pinyin"><strong>"Apple"
    </strong> <em>zěnme</em> shuō?</span><span class="trans">How do you
    say apple?</span>

</div>
See Also
--------

-   [Placement of question
    words](Placement_of_question_words "wikilink")
-   [Asking questions](Asking_questions "wikilink")

Sources and further reading
---------------------------

-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1
    (3rd ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed) "wikilink") (p.
    191)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl)

<!-- -->

-   [现代汉语八百词（增订本）](现代汉语八百词（增订本） "wikilink") (pp.
    651-2)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1)
-   [Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical
    Guide](Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide "wikilink") (p.
    163)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108)

[Category:A1 grammar points](Category:A1_grammar_points "wikilink")