Question FormsHSK 3

Asking why with 怎么

怎么 can be used to ask 'why' or 'how come,' expressing surprise or disagreement. Place it before the verb phrase, just like a question word.

Structure

Subj. + 怎么 + Verb (+ Obj.) ?

他怎么还没来？
Tā zěn me hái méi lái?
How come he's not here yet?
你们怎么打人？
Nǐ men zěn me dǎ rén?
How can you hit people?
他帮了你，你怎么不说“谢谢”？
Tā bāng le nǐ, nǐ zěn me bù shuō "xiè xie"?
He helped you. How come you didn't say thank you?
你结婚的时候怎么不告诉我？
Nǐ jié hūn de shí hou zěn me bú gào sù wǒ?
How come you didn't tell me when you got married?
我们还没开始吃，他怎么已经吃完了？
Wǒ men hái méi kāi shǐ chī, tā zěn me yǐ jīng chī wán le?
We haven't started eating yet. How come he has already finished eating?