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  <title>How to do something with "zenme"</title>
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  <h1>The Basic "How to do" Something with "<span class="pinyinst">zěnme</span>" "<span class="hanzist">怎么</span>"</h1>

  <p><span style="color: rgb(139, 0, 0); font-family: NotoSansCJKsc; font-size: 22px;">怎么</span> (<span class="pinyin">zěnme</span>) means "<b>how</b>" in Chinese, and it's not hard to use at all: just put it before a <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Verb" title="Verb">verb</a>.</p>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_151">Contents</h2>

  <div class="contents">
    <ul>
      <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/How_to_do_something_with_%22zenme%22#The_Basic_.22How_to_Verb.22_Something"> 1 The Basic "How to Verb" Something</a> 

      <ul>
        <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-2"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/How_to_do_something_with_%22zenme%22#Structure"> 1.1 Structure</a></li>

        <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/How_to_do_something_with_%22zenme%22#Examples"> 1.2 Examples</a></li>
      </ul></li>

      <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/How_to_do_something_with_%22zenme%22#Topic_First"> 2 Topic First</a> 

      <ul>
        <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/How_to_do_something_with_%22zenme%22#Structure_2"> 2.1 Structure</a></li>

        <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/How_to_do_something_with_%22zenme%22#Examples_2"> 2.2 Examples</a></li>
      </ul></li>

      <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-7"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/How_to_do_something_with_%22zenme%22#See_also"> 3 See also</a></li>

      <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-8"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/How_to_do_something_with_%22zenme%22#Sources_and_further_reading"> 4 Sources and further reading</a></li>
    </ul>
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  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_152"><span id="The_Basic_.22How_to_Verb.22_Something">The Basic "How to Verb" Something</span></h2>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_153"><span id="Structure">Structure</span></h3>

  <p>The question word <span class="hanzi">怎么</span> (<span class="pinyin">zěnme</span>) is used to ask <i><b>how</b></i> in Chinese. It is inserted in front of the verb that's being asked about:</p>

  <div class="deux">
    Subj. + <span class="hanzist">怎么</span> + Verb + Obj.
  </div>

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

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_154">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">你们 怎么 学 中文？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐmen zěnme xué Zhōngwén?</span> <br/>How do you study Chinese?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 怎么 上班？坐 地铁 吗？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ zěnme shàngbān? Zuò dìtiě ma?</span> <br/>How do you get to work? By metro?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 知道 怎么 去 外滩 吗？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhīdao zěnme qù Wàitān ma?</span> <br/>Do you know how to get to the Bund?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 怎么 知道 我 喜欢 旅行？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ zěnme zhīdao wǒ xǐhuan lǚxíng?</span> <br/>How did you know I like to travel?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 不 知道 怎么 跟 女孩子 说话。</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù zhīdao zěnme gēn nǚháizi shuōhuà.</span> <br/>I don't know how to talk to girls.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_155"><span id="Topic_First">Topic First</span></h2>

  <p>Starting a "<b>how to</b>" question with the <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Topic-comment_sentences" title="Topic-comment sentences">topic</a> 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.</p>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_156"><span id="Structure_2">Structure</span></h3>

  <div class="deux">
    Topic + <span class="hanzist">怎么</span> + Verb
  </div>

  <p>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.</p>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_157"><span id="Examples_2">Examples</span></h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">芒果 怎么 吃？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Mángguǒ zěnme chī?</span><br/> How do you eat mangos?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">iPad 怎么 用？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">iPad zěnme yòng?</span><br/> How do you use an iPad?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">语法 怎么 学 ？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Yǔfǎ zěnme xué?</span><br/> How do you study grammar?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">中国 菜 怎么 做？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó cài zěnme zuò?</span> <br/>How do you cook Chinese food?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">"Apple" 怎么 说？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">"Apple" zěnme shuō?</span><br/> How do you say "apple"?</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_158">See also</h2>

  <ul>
    <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Placement_of_question_words" title="Placement of question words">Placement of question words</a></li>

    <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Asking_questions" title="Asking questions">Asking questions</a></li>
  </ul>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_159">Sources and further reading</h2>

  <ul>
    <li>Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (p. 191)</li>

    <li><span class="hanzi">现代汉语八百词（增订本）</span> (pp. 651-2)</li>

    <li>Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (p. 163)</li>
  </ul>
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