How and How long in Chinese

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, “how” can be translated as 怎么样 zěnme yàng or simply 怎么 zěnme, depending on the context. As for “how long,” it can be translated as 多久 duō jiǔ.

How – 怎麼/怎么 zěnme

Depending on the context, 怎麼怎么 zěnme can be translated as “how” or “what”. It is used to indicate the manner or method of doing something, or to ask about the way in which something is done. However, when 怎麼怎么 zěnme is used in a negated question, it means “how come” or “why”.

Subject + Zěnme + Verb (+ Object)?

Q：你的nǐde名字míngzi怎麼zěnme寫xiě？ 你的nǐde名字míngzi怎么zěnme写xiě？
A：How to write your name?
A：我的wǒde名字míngzi這樣zhèyàng寫xiě我的wǒde名字míngzi这样zhèyáng写xiě
A：My name is written like this.

Q：他tā怎麼zěnme沒méi來lái上班shàngbān？ 他tā怎么zěnme没méi来lái上班shàngbān？
A：How come he did not come to work?
A：他tā生病shēngbìng了le他tā生病shēngbìng了le
A：He’s sick.

你nǐ是shì怎麼zěnme學xué英文yīngwén的de？ 你nǐ是shì怎么zěnme学xué英文yīngwén的de？
How do you learn English?

FYI
Do you know about 填鴨鸭式教育 tiányā shì jiàoyù (cramming education)? It’s a common learning method in Asia, so many of us can write foreign languages but struggle to speak them fluently. Cramming education refers to a teaching method where students are required to memorize and recite a large amount of information, with less emphasis on practical application and understanding. It’s like the fast food of learning, where you stuff your brain with facts without actually digesting them properly. So next time, if you fail to have a conversation with a Chinese person, try writing it down. It may work. 😏

她tā怎麼zěnme找zhǎo到dào上海shànghǎi的de工作gōngzuò？ 她tā怎么zěnme找zhǎo到dào上海shànghǎi的de工作gōngzuò？
How did she find a job in Shanghai?

你nǐ怎麼zěnme沒méi買mǎi咖啡kāfēi給gěi我wǒ！ 你nǐ怎么zěnme没méi买mǎi咖啡kāfēi给gěi我wǒ！
How come you didn’t buy coffee for me?

老師lǎoshī怎麼zěnme沒méi穿chuān鞋子xiézi老师lǎoshī怎么zěnme没méi穿chuān鞋子xiézi
Why isn’t the teacher wearing shoes?

How – 怎麼樣/怎么样 zěnme yàng

Statement + Zěnmeyàng?

Q：你的nǐde中文zhōngwén課kè怎麼樣zěnmeyàng？ 你的nǐde中文zhōngwén课kè怎么样zěnmeyàng？
A：How was your Chinese lesson?
A：我的wǒde中文zhōngwén課kè很hěn好hǎo我的wǒde中文zhōngwén课kè很hěn好hǎo
A：My Chinese lesson is great.

今天jīntiān天氣tiānqì怎麼樣zěnmeyàng？ 今天jīntiān天气tiānqì怎么样zěnmeyàng？
How’s the weather today?

你的nǐde感冒gǎnmào怎麼樣zěnmeyàng了le？ 你的nǐde感冒gǎnmào怎么样zěnmeyàng了le？
How’s your cold?

你nǐ覺得juéde那邊nàbiān那個nàge男人nánrén怎麼樣zěnmeyàng？ 你nǐ觉得juéde那边nàbiān那个nàge男人nánrén怎么样zěnmeyàng？
What do you think of that man over there?

昨天zuótiān的de電影diànyǐng看kàn得de怎麼樣zěnmeyàng？ 昨天zuótiān的de电影diànyǐng看kàn得de怎么样zěnmeyàng？
How was the movie yesterday?

How long – 多久 duōjiǔ

S + V + O + 多久

你nǐ打算dǎsuàn要yào去qù北京běijīng多久duōjiǔ？ 你nǐ打算dǎsuàn要yào去qù北京běijīng多久duōjiǔ？
How long do you plan to stay in Beijing?

你nǐ學xué了le中文zhōngwén多久duōjiǔ？ 你nǐ学xué了le中文zhōngwén多久duōjiǔ？
How long did you learn Chinese?
🔎 了1 (Verb-suffix了)

你nǐ學xué中文zhōngwén多久duōjiǔ了le？ 你nǐ学xué中文zhōngwén多久duōjiǔ了le？
How long have you been learning Chinese?
🔎 了2 (Sentence particle了)

你們nǐmen認識rènshì多久duōjiǔ了le？ 你们nǐmen认识rènshi多久duōjiǔ了le？
How long have you known each other?

你nǐ不bù舒服shūfú多久duōjiǔ了le？ 你nǐ不bù舒服shūfu多久duōjiǔ了le？
How long have you been feeling unwell?

你nǐ多久duōjiǔ才cái會huì到dào！ 你nǐ多久duōjiǔ才cái会huì到dào！
How long will it take for you to arrive?

How often – 多久 duōjiǔ

多久 duōjiǔ is typically used to ask about the long length of time. If you specifically want to inquire about a short duration, you can use the phrase 多常 duōcháng instead.

S + 多久 + V + O

你nǐ多久duōjiǔ出國chūguó一次yícì？ 你nǐ多久duōjiǔ出国chūguó一次yícì？
How often do you go abroad?

你nǐ多久duōjiǔ打dǎ一次yìcì高爾夫gāoěrfū？ 你nǐ多久duōjiǔ打dǎ一次yìcì高尔夫gāoěrfū？
How often do you play golf?

爸爸bàba多久duōjiǔ運動yùndòng一次yícì？ 爸爸bàba多久duōjiǔ运动yùndòng一次yícì？
How often does your dad exercise?
(The answer probably once a year.)

你nǐ多常duōcháng喝hē咖啡kāfēi？ 你nǐ多常duōcháng喝hē咖啡kāfēi？
How often do you drink coffee?

你nǐ多常duōcháng運動yùndòng？ 你nǐ多常duōcháng运动yùndòng？
How often do you exercise?
(The answer probably three times a week.)

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ How long is the warranty?

保固期bǎogùqī多久duōjiǔ？ 保固期bǎogùqī多久duōjiǔ？

✔️ How do I get to the airport from here?

我wǒ要yào怎麼zěnme從cóng這裡zhèlǐ去qù機場jīchǎng？ 我wǒ要yào怎么zěnme从cóng这里zhèlǐ去qù机场jīchǎng？

✔️ What do you think of my Chinese?

你nǐ覺得juéde我的wǒde中文zhōngwén怎麼樣zěnmeyàng？ 你nǐ觉得juéde我的wǒde中文zhōngwén怎么样zěnmeyàng？