怎么
zěnme
How? in what way?
How to ask “why” in Chinese with 怎么 (zěnme)
怎么 (zěnme)⋯⋯？
怎么 (zěn mó) — asking why
HSK 2Question Forms
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?
他怎么这么晚？
Tā zěnme zhèmewǎn?
Why is he so late?
你怎么不说话？
Nǐ zěnme bù shuōhuà?
Why aren't you speaking?
Examples
你怎么没来？
Nǐ zěnme méi lái?
Why didn't you come?
他怎么这么晚？
Tā zěnme zhèmewǎn?
Why is he so late?
你怎么不说话？
Nǐ zěnme bù shuōhuà?
Why aren't you speaking?
Practice
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Characters
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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)?
了 — already done
Subj. + Verb Phrase + 了 (le)
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)⋯⋯