Interrogative Pronouns: 多久、为什么、怎么样
At HSK 2 the question words 多久 (how long), 为什么 (why) and 怎么样 (how about) stand in the slot where the answer would go. 多久 asks for a length of time and comes after the verb.
| 词 | 用法 | 位置 |
|---|---|---|
| 多久 | how long (duration) | after verb or at start |
| 为什么 | why (reason) | sentence-initial or before VP |
| 怎么样 | how / what's it like | predicate position |
多久 asks about time spans: 学了多久？
为什么 asks for a reason: 你为什么不吃？
怎么样 invites an opinion or status: 今天怎么样？
No 吗 is needed — the question word itself marks the sentence as a question.
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 你学中文学了多久了？ | Nǐ xué Zhōng wén xué le duō jiǔ le? | How long have you been studying Chinese? | 多久 follows the verb phrase; 了…了 marks ongoing duration |
| 你为什么今天不去学校？ | Nǐ wèi shén me jīn tiān bù qù xué xiào? | Why aren't you going to school today? | 为什么 comes after the subject and before the time word + VP |
| 这家饭馆的菜怎么样？ | Zhè jiā fàn guǎn de cài zěn me yàng? | What is the food at this restaurant like? | 怎么样 acts as the predicate; no copula 是 needed |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
多久 (duō jiǔ)
Asks how long something lasts.
Structure: Verb + 了 + 多久
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你等了多久？ | Nǐ děng le duō jiǔ? | How long did you wait? |
| 从这里到机场要多久？ | Cóng zhè lǐ dào jī chǎng yào duō jiǔ? | How long does it take to get from here to the airport? |
| 你打算在北京住多久？ | Nǐ dǎ suàn zài běi jīng zhù duō jiǔ? | How long do you plan to stay in Beijing? |
Not: 你学汉语多久了吗？ 多久 is already a question, so 吗 is not added.
为什么 (wèi shén me)
Asks for the reason behind something.
Structure: 为什么 + verb phrase
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你为什么哭了？ | Nǐ wèi shén me kū le? | Why are you crying? |
| 他为什么没来上课？ | Tā wèi shén me méi lái shàng kè? | Why did he not come to class? |
| 为什么这个字这样写？ | Wèi shén me zhè gè zì zhè yàng xiě? | Why is this character written like this? |
Not: 你去为什么商店？ 为什么 goes before the verb: 你为什么去商店?
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 2, pronouns (疑问代词).
怎么样 (zěn me yàng)
Asks for an opinion or how things are.
Structure: Topic + 怎么样
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你今天的考试怎么样？ | Nǐ jīn tiān de kǎo shì zěn me yàng? | How was your exam today? |
| 这本书怎么样？ | Zhè běn shū zěn me yàng? | How is this book? |
| 明天我们去爬山，怎么样？ | Míng tiān wǒ men qù pá shān, zěn me yàng? | We are going hiking tomorrow, how about it? |
Not: 你身体怎么样吗？ 怎么样 is already a question, so 吗 is not added.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 1, pronouns (疑问代词).
Compared side by side: 怎么 vs 怎么样.
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
Questions about Interrogative Pronouns
What does 疑问代词 (Interrogative Pronouns) mean in Chinese?
At HSK 2 the question words 多久 (how long), 为什么 (why) and 怎么样 (how about) stand in the slot where the answer would go. 多久 asks for a length of time and comes after the verb. It is an HSK 2 grammar point.
How do you use 疑问代词 (Interrogative Pronouns) in a sentence?
你学中文学了多久了？ — Nǐ xué Zhōng wén xué le duō jiǔ le? — How long have you been studying Chinese?. 多久 follows the verb phrase; 了…了 marks ongoing duration.
What do you need to know before 疑问代词 (Interrogative Pronouns)?
Wh-Questions (HSK 1). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
What is the difference between 怎么 and 怎么样?
怎么 asks how an action is done and sits before the verb: 这个字怎么读？ 怎么样 asks for an opinion or state and comes last: 这个字写得怎么样？
Can I answer 为什么 with 所以?
No. Answer with 因为, which gives the reason. 所以 begins the result, so 因为我很忙 is right and 所以我很忙 is not.
Interrogative Pronouns is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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