ChineseGrammarWiki/ancien/Chinese-Grammar-Wiki/MD/A2/91.mw

{{Grammar Box}} 

什么……都 (shénme... dōu) is a pattern often used to express "all" or "everything." Because it's not just one word, though, it can be a little tricky to get the hang of at first.

== Basic Usage ==

=== Structure ===

In this structure, 都 (dōu) is more frequently used than 也 (yě)。

<div class="jiegou">

Topic (+ Subj.) + 什么 + 都 / 也 + Verb / Adj.

</div>

In some sentences, there will be a subject after the topic in the pattern above. See the following sentences for examples.

=== Examples ===

When used in the positive sense, it is more natural to follow 什么 (shénme) with 都 (dōu) rather than 也 (yě) to express "everything."

<div class="liju">

* 我 觉得 这里 的 菜 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 好吃。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde zhèlǐ de cài <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> hǎochī.</span><span class="trans">I think everything is delicious here.</span>
* 中国 的 历史 爸爸 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 知道。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó de lìshǐ bàba <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> zhīdào.</span><span class="trans">My dad knows everything about Chinese history.</span>
* 工作 的 事情 老公 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 跟 我 说。<span class="pinyin">Gōngzuò de shìqing lǎogōng <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> gēn wǒ shuō.</span><span class="trans">My husband tells me everything about work stuff.</span>
* 妈妈 做 的 菜 我 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 喜欢。<span class="pinyin">Māma zuò de cài wǒ <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> xǐhuan.</span><span class="trans">I like everything that mom cooks.</span>
* 我女朋友 觉得 外国 的 东西 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 好。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nǚpéngyou juéde wàiguó de dōngxi <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> hǎo.</span><span class="trans">My  girlfriend thinks that all foreign things are good.</span>

</div>

== Structure with a Noun ==

=== Structure ===

<div class="jiegou">

什么 + Noun + 都 + Verb

</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

* 我们 <em>什么</em> 果汁 <em>都</em> 喝。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>shénme</em> guǒzhī <em>dōu</em> hē.</span><span class="trans">We drink any kind of fruit juice.</span>
* 她 <em>什么</em> 衣服 <em>都</em> 是 黑色 的。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>shénme</em> yīfu <em>dōu</em> shì hēisè de.</span><span class="trans">All of her clothes are black.</span>
* 妈妈 做 的 <em>什么</em> 菜 <em>都</em> 好吃。<span class="pinyin">Māma zuò de <em>shénme</em> cài <em>dōu</em> hǎochī.</span><span class="trans">All of the dishes mom makes are tasty.</span>
* 我男朋友 <em>什么</em> 运动 <em>都</em> 喜欢。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nánpéngyou <em>shénme</em> yùndòng <em>dōu</em> xǐhuan.</span><span class="trans">My boyfriend likes all kinds of sports.</span>
* 你 不 应该 <em>什么</em> 话 <em>都</em> 跟 他 说。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bù yīnggāi <em>shénme</em> huà <em>dōu</em> gēn tā shuō.</span><span class="trans">You shouldn't tell him everything.</span>

</div>

== Negative Structure ==

=== Structures ===

The negative structure simply adds a 不 (bù) or a 没 (méi) after the 都 (dōu) / 也 (yě).  Instead of "all" or "everything," this expresses "none" or "not any."

<div class="jiegou">

什么 + Noun + 都 / 也 + 不 + Verb

</div>

<div class="jiegou">

什么 + Noun + 都 / 也 + 没 (有) + Verb

</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
* 生病 以后，爸爸 <em>什么</em> 酒 <em>都</em> <strong>不</strong> 能 喝 了。<span class="pinyin">Shēngbìng yǐhòu, bàba <em>shénme</em> jiǔ <em>dōu</em> <strong>bù</strong> néng hē le.</span><span class="trans">After dad got sick, he can't drink any kind of alcohol.</span>
* 老板 现在 很 生气，<em>什么</em> 人 <em>也</em> <strong>不</strong> 见。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn xiànzài hěn shēngqì, <em>shénme</em> rén <em> yě</em> <strong>bù</strong> jiàn.</span><span class="trans"> The boss is very angry. He's doesn't want to see anybody.</span>
* 今天 我 不 舒服，<em>什么</em> 东西 <em>都</em> <strong>没</strong> 吃。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǒ bù shūfu, <em>shénme</em> dōngxi <em>dōu</em> <strong>méi</strong> chī.</span><span class="trans">Today I don't feel well, so I didn't eat anything.</span>
* 昨天 开会 的时候，她 <em>什么</em> 话 <em>也</em> <strong>没</strong> 说。<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān kāihuì de shíhou, tā <em>shénme</em> huà <em>yě</em> <strong>méi</strong> shuō.</span><span class="trans">She didn't say anything at yesterday's meeting.</span>
* 你 在 家里 怎么 <em>什么</em> 事 <em>都</em> <strong>不</strong> 做？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ  zài jiālǐ zěnme <em>shénme</em> shì <em>dōu</em> <strong> bù </strong> zuò? </span><span class="trans">How  come you haven't done anything at home? </span>

</div>

==See Also==

*[[Expressing "every time" with "mei" and "dou"]]
*[[Expressing "every" with question words]]

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===

* [[Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) ]] (p. 195)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7802006473/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7802006473 →buy] 
* [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (pp. 286-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 →buy] 
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 216-7) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy]
*[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册）]] (p. 314)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy]

[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
{{Similar|Expressing "every" with question words}}
{{Similar|Expressing "every time" with "mei" and "dou"}}
{{Similar|Referring to "all" using "suoyou"}}
{{Similar|"Not at all"}}
{{Basic Grammar|什么|A2|什么 + 都 / 也⋯⋯|爸爸 <em>什么 都</em> 知道。|grammar point|ASGAQV6C}}
{{Rel char|都}}
{{Rel char|也}}
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
{{Used for| Expressing quantity}}
{{Translation|all}}
{{Translation|every}}