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ChineseGrammarWiki


			
				
					
						
						
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<p>Aside from <a href="How_to_do_something_with_&quot;zenme&quot;"
title="wikilink">just meaning "how,"</a> 怎么 (zěnme) can also be
used to ask "why" or "how come."</p>
<h2 id="basic-usage">Basic Usage</h2>
<h3 id="with-a-verb">With a Verb</h3>
<h4 id="structure">Structure</h4>
<p>Similar to the question word <a href=
"%E4%B8%BA%E4%BB%80%E4%B9%88" class="uri" title="wikilink">为什么</a>
(wèishénme), questions can also be asked with 怎么 (zěnme).</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 怎么 + Verb + Obj. ?</p>
</div>
<p>This has similar connotations to saying "how come" in English.
It not only asks why, but expresses some surprise at the situation,
and in some cases even disagreement with it.</p>
<h4 id="examples">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>他 <em>怎么</em> 还 没 来 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zěnme</em> hái
méi lái?</span> <span class="trans">How come he's not here
yet?</span></li>
<li>你们 <em>怎么</em> 打 人？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>zěnme</em> dǎ
rén?</span> <span class="trans">How can you hit people?</span></li>
<li>他 帮 了 你，你 <em>怎么</em> 不 说 “谢谢” ？<span class="pinyin">Tā bāng le
nǐ, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù shuō "xièxie"?</span> <span class=
"trans">He helped you. How come you didn't say thank
you?</span></li>
<li>你 结婚 的时候 <em>怎么</em> 不 告诉 我？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiéhūn de
shíhou <em>zěnme</em> bù gàosu wǒ?</span> <span class="trans">How
come you didn't tell me when you got married?</span></li>
<li>我们 还 没 开始 吃，他 <em>怎么</em> 已经 吃完 了？<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen
hái méi kāishǐ chī, tā <em>zěnme</em> yǐjīng chī wán le?</span>
<span class="trans">We haven't started eating yet. How come he has
already finished eating?</span></li>
<li>今天 是 星期一，你 <em>怎么</em> 不 去 上班？<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān shì
Xīngqīyī, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù qù shàngbān?</span> <span class=
"trans">Today is Monday. Why aren't you going to work?</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3 id="with-an-adjective">With an Adjective</h3>
<h4 id="structure-1">Structure</h4>
<p>In this case, it's most common to negate the adjective after 怎么
(zěnme).</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 怎么 (+ 不) + Adj.</p>
</div>
<h4 id="examples-1">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>水 <em>怎么</em> 不 热？<span class="pinyin">Shuǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù
rè?</span> <span class="trans">Why is the water not
hot?</span></li>
<li>这里 的 川菜 <em>怎么</em> 不 辣？<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ de chuāncài
<em>zěnme</em> bù là?</span> <span class="trans">Why is the Sichuan
food here not spicy?</span></li>
<li>他 亲 了 你，你 <em>怎么</em> 不 高兴 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā qīn le nǐ,
nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù gāoxìng?</span> <span class="trans">He kissed
you. How come you're not happy?</span></li>
<li>她 的 小猫 死 了，她 <em>怎么</em> 不 难过？<span class="pinyin">Tā de
xiǎomāo sǐ le, tā <em>zěnme</em> bù nánguò?</span> <span class=
"trans">Her kitten died. Why isn't she sad?</span></li>
<li>每 天 工作 十二 个 小时 ，你 <em>怎么</em> 不 累？<span class="pinyin">Měi tiān
gōngzuò shí'èr gè xiǎoshí, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù
lèi?</span><span class="trans">Every day you work 12 hours. Why are
you not tired?</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="why-so...-usage">"Why So..." Usage</h2>
<h3 id="structure-2">Structure</h3>
<p>One pattern this use of 怎么 (zěnme) frequently appears in is with
这么 (zhème) or 那么 (nàme). (For more on 这么 (zhème) and 那么 (nàme), see
<a href="adjectives_with_&quot;name&quot;_and_&quot;zheme&quot;"
title="wikilink">adjectives with "name" and "zheme."</a>)</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 怎么 + 这么 / 那么 + Adj.</p>
</div>
<p>This use of 怎么 (zěnme) could be translated as either "how" or
"why"; the actual meaning sort of falls in the fuzzy region between
the two. In any case, it's used to express disbelief: <em>how can
(something) be so (adjective)?!</em></p>
<h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>他 <em>怎么</em> 那么 懒？<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zěnme</em> nàme
lǎn?</span> <span class="trans">How can he be this
lazy?</span></li>
<li>昨天 <em>怎么</em> 那么 冷？<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān <em>zěnme</em>
nàme lěng?</span> <span class="trans">How could it be so cold
yesterday?</span></li>
<li>这些人 <em>怎么</em> 这么 吵？<span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē rén
<em>zěnme</em> zhème chǎo?</span> <span class="trans">How can these
people so loud?</span></li>
<li>北京 的 空气 <em>怎么</em> 那么 差？<span class="pinyin">Běijīng de kōngqì
<em>zěnme</em> nàme chà?</span> <span class="trans">How can the air
in Beijing be so bad?</span></li>
<li>你的 汉语 <em>怎么</em> 这么 好？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de Hànyǔ
<em>zěnme</em> zhème hǎo?</span> <span class="trans">How is your
Mandarin so good?</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="Placement_of_question_words" title=
"wikilink">Placement of question words</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further
reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed)" title=
"wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)</a> (p.
191) <a href=
"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=0887276385">
→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title=
"wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p>
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