en
cs
da
de
it
pl
Structure
Questions
The interrogative pronoun zěnme 怎么/怎麼 ‘how’ is often used before the verb to ask about how the action is performed.
In questions about how to perform an action, if the receiver of the action is expressed as a definite noun phrase (such as zhè ge zì 这个字 / 這個字 ‘this character’), it can be placed at the beginning of the sentence, before the phrase zěnme 怎么/怎麼 ‘how’ + verb.
When asking about how something has been made, the construction shì 是 … de 的 should be used.
The interrogative pronoun zěnme 怎么/怎麼 ‘why’ expressing a question about the reason can also appear before an adjective preceded by zhème 这么/這麼 ‘so’ or nàme 那么/那麼 ‘so’.
In questions about the situation zěnme 怎么/怎麼 ‘how’ is placed after the subject, in the predicate position. It can be preceded by the time expression. The modal particle le 了 usually comes at the end of the sentence.
With the negation adverb bù 不 ‘not’
The interrogative pronoun zěnme 怎么/怎麼 ‘how’ can by preceded by the adverb of negation bù 不 ‘not’. The phrase bù zěnme 不怎么 / 不怎麼 ‘not very’ expresses a low degree of intensity of a given quality.
It can be placed before adjectives that functions as predicates.
It can also occur before some verbs.
The interrogative pronoun zěnme 怎么/怎麼 ‘how’, ‘why’ can also modify negative verb phrases. In such case it is placed before the adverb bù 不 ‘not’ or méi 没/沒 ‘not’ / méi yǒu 没有/沒有 ‘not’ preceding the verb.
With prepositional phrases
If the interrogative pronoun zěnme 怎么/怎麼 ‘how’ modifies the verb preceded by a prepositional phrase, it is usually placed before this phrase.
But when the prepositional phrase with duì 对/對 ’towards, to’ is used, the interrogative pronoun zěnme怎么/怎麼 ‘how’ can also be placed after this phrase.
Functions
1. Asking how the action is performed
Zěnme 怎么/怎麼 ‘how’ is used to ask how the action denoted by the verb is performed.
If the action has already been completed, questions about how it was performed should use the shì 是 … de 的 construction.
Also check →shì 是 … de 的.
2. Asking about the reason or the cause of an action
Zěnme 怎么/怎麼 can also be used to ask about the reason behind an action. Used in this way it additionally conveys surprise, astonishment, or other emotions. In this case, it means ‘how come, why’.
Zěnme 怎么/怎麼, when used in this way, can express a meaning similar to wèi shénme 为什么/為什麼, both can be translated as ‘why’. However, they are used in slightly different contexts. Wèi shénme 为什么/為什麼 appears in neutral questions, when the speaker simply wants to know the reason, whereas zěnme 怎么/怎麼 conveys the speaker’s surprise, confusion or disbelief.
3. Asking what went wrong or what happened
Zěnme 怎么/怎麼 ‘how’ can also be used to ask what went wrong or what has happened to someone.
4. Expressing low degree
Zěnme 怎么/怎麼 ’how’ when used with the negation adverb bù 不 ‘not’ (bù zěnme 不怎么/不怎麼 ‘not very’) expresses a relatively low degree. It softens the tone of the statement.
5. Expressing surprise
When used on its own, the pronoun zěnme 怎么/怎麼 ’what’ expresses surprise or astonishment.