Chinese Language Learning Program Lesson 85–How to use “when, where, how, what and who” to ask questions in Chinese

Chinese Language Learning Program

Lesson 85 – How to use “when, where, how, what and who” to ask questions in Chinese

Hello, everyone. Welcome back. This is Baixue’s Chinese Language Learning Program. Last time we had a tongue twister in Chinese. Today, we will talk about how to use “when, where, how, what and who” to ask questions in Chinese.

shén me shí hou                     nǎ  lǐ

   什    么   时   候(when)           哪 里(where)

zěn me                      shén me                 shuí

  怎  么 (how)               什    么 (what)        谁 (who)

How to use these interrogatives to ask questions?

Let’s see some example sentences:

shén me shí hou

   什    么  时   候(when):

1.   diàn yǐng shén me shí hòu  kāi shǐ？

  电     影     什    么   时    候    开   始？

(When will the movie will start?)

2.   nǐ xià zhōu shén me shí hou yǒu kòng?

你 下     周      什    么   时  候    有     空？

(When will you be free next week?)

3.   nǐ shì cóng  shén me shí hou kāi shǐ xué yóu yǒng de?

你  是   从        什    么   时   候   开   始   学    游     泳    的？

(When did you start to learn how to swim? )

nǎ  lǐ

哪  里(where)

1.   wǒ zài  nǎ lǐ kě yǐ zhǎo dào yín háng？

我   在   哪里可 以    找    到   银     行？

(Where can I find a bank?)

2.   nǐ zhù zài  nǎ lǐ?

    你   住  在  哪 里？

(Where are you living?)

3.   wǒ de shū bāo zài nǎ'er ne?

我  的   书    包   在   哪儿 呢？

(Where is my backpack?)

zěn me / rú hé / zěn me yàng / duō shǎo / duō me

 怎   么 /  如 何 /   怎   么    样  /    多     少  /     多   么(how)

1.   nǐ zhī dào zěn me zuò dàn gāo ma?

    你  知  道    怎   么    做   蛋    糕   吗？

(Do you know how to make a cake?)

2.   nǐ zuì jìn zěn me yàng?

你 最 近  怎   么   样？ (How’s everything going?)

3.   zǒng gòng shì duō shǎo qián?

   总      共    是    多    少     钱？

(How much are those items?)

4.   nǐ yào dāi duō jiǔ?

你  要   呆   多   久？(How long will you stay?)

5.   nǐ yǒu duō shǎo gè fù huó jié dàn?

你  有    多     少    个复    活  节  蛋？

(How many Easter Eggs do you have?)

shén me

   什    么 (what) (This one is more complicate, so I just give you some examples. If you want to know more about “what” in Chinese, you have to find more information by yourself. This one could be a lesson.)

1.   nǐ xiǎng yào shén me?

你    想     要     什    么？(What do you want?)

2.   jǐ diǎn le?

   几 点 了？(What time is it?)

3.   nǐ jiào shén me míng zì?

你 叫      什    么    名   字？

(What’s your name?)

4.   zhēn shi hǎo xiāo xi!

   真    是   好    消  息！(What a great news!)

shuí

  谁 (Who)

1.   nǐ shì shuí?

你  是    谁？(Who are you? Who is it?)

2.   nǐ zài hé shuí shuō huà?

你  在 和    谁     说     话？

(Who are you talking to?)

Ok, today’s idiom is:

zuò zéi xīn xū

  做  贼  心   虚(Guilty consciences make men cowards；have a guilty conscience)

yī gè rén fàn le cuò wù jiù huì zuò zéi xīn xū.

一 个  人   犯 了   错   误  就  会   做   贼  心  虚。

(He that does a bad thing thinks everyone speak of it.)

Ok, that is all for today.

xiè  xiè!

 谢   谢 ! (Thanks!)

xià  cì  jiàn 

 下  次  见!  (See you next time!)