aSkiNG qUeStioNS aNd rePlyiNG to qUeStioNS
28.6
The question expression 怎么样？/ 怎麼樣？zěnmeyàng? asks for a description:
那个饭馆怎么样？
那個飯館怎麼樣？
Nàge fànguǎn zěnmeyàng?
What is that restaurant like?The expression 怎么了？/ 怎麼了？zěnme le? is used to ask how someone is when the speaker
believes there is something the matter:
你怎么了？
你怎麼了？
Nǐ zěnme le?
What is the matter with you?为什么/為甚麼 wèi shénme ‘why’ questions ask for reasons, and their responses typically
require a sentence or more. 为什么/為甚麼 wèi shénme occurs after the subject of the
sentence.
Replies to 为什么/為甚麼 wèi shénme questions often begin with the word 因为/因為 yīnwéi
‘because.’
Question Answer
你为什么学中文？ 因为我想在中国找工作。
你為甚麼學中文？ 因為我想在中國找工作。
Nǐ wèi shénme xué Zhōngwén? Yīnwéi wǒ xiǎng zài Zhōngguó zhǎo gōngzuò.
Why do you study Chinese? Because I want to look for a job in China.
你为什么喜欢他呢？ 因为他特别帅！
你為甚麼喜歡他呢？ 因為他特別帥！
Nǐ wèi shénme xǐhuan tā ne? Yīnwéi tā tèbié shuài!
Why do you like him? Because he’s so handsome!In Mandarin, content question words are used in expressions that express the meanings ‘any,’
‘every,’ ‘none,’ ‘always,’ ‘never,’ etc.
谁都认识他。
誰都認識他。
Shéi dōu rènshi tā.
Everyone knows him.我什么时候都忙。
我甚麼時候都忙。
Wǒ shénme shíhòu dōu máng.
I am always busy.
他什么酒都不喝。
他甚麼酒都不喝。
Tā shénme jiǔ dōu bù hē.
He doesn’t drink any alcohol.C46.4.2