How to ask “why” in Chinese with 怎么 (zěnme)
怎么 (zěnme)⋯⋯？
怎么 (zěn mó) — asking why
怎么 (zěnme)⋯⋯？
HSK 2Question Forms怎么 (zěn mó) — asking why
Rule structure
怎么 (zěnme) can be used to ask "why" or "how come," often expressing surprise or confusion. The structure is Subject + 怎么 (zěnme) + Verb/Adjective? "How come you didn't come?").
Rule structure
怎么 (zěnme) can be used to ask "why" or "how come," often expressing surprise or confusion. The structure is Subject + 怎么 (zěnme) + Verb/Adjective? "How come you didn't come?").
Examples
你怎么没来？
Nǐ zěnme méi lái?
Why didn't you come?
Examples
你怎么没来？
Nǐ zěnme méi lái?
Why didn't you come?
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Frequently asked questions
How do you say “asking why” in Chinese with 怎么?
Use the structure: 怎么 (zěnme)⋯⋯？. For example: 你怎么没来？ — “Why didn't you come?”.
What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?
你怎么没来？ — “Why didn't you come?”.
Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?
This grammar rule is part of HSK 2.
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More HSK 2 grammar rules
是不是 — tag questions
⋯⋯是不是 (shì bu shì) / 对不对 (duì bu duì) / 好不好 (hǎo bu hǎo)?
不 — affirmative-negative question
Verb + 不 (bù) + Verb / Adj. + 不 (bù) + Adj.
不是……吗？ — rhetorical questions
不 (bù) 是 (shì)…… 吗 (ma)？
吗 — tag questions
⋯⋯是 (shì)吗 (ma) / 对 (duì)吗 (ma) / 好 (hǎo)吗 (ma)?
最 — superlative “most”
最 (zuì) + Adj. (+ 了 (le))
到 — direction with “to go to”
到 (dào) + Place + 去 (qù)
虽然 — although… but…
虽然 (suīrán)⋯⋯，但是 (dànshì) / 可是 (kěshì)⋯⋯
一下 — verbing briefly
Verb + 一下 (yíxià)