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- Topic: Chinese >
- "他说什么？"
"他说什么？"
Translation:What does he say?
23 Comments
It told me that "What did he say?" is a correct solution. Wouldn't that be 他说了什么？
69
You don't have to mark the past in Chinese like you do in English, as context makes it clear usually. What does he say/ what did he say are both correct.
Why when 他说英语 is he speaks English does this not translate to "What does he speak" as in which language does he speak? used following a statement he does not speak ..... what does he speak?
- 458
That's an interesting, logical question, but to say "What language does he speak?" I would probably try 他说什么文? or 他说哪文? or 他说哪一个文? (for this last one, I have used the "generic" numerary adjunct 个, as I do not know any count particle specific to languages). My attempts here might be incorrect, but I do think they would at least be understood.
You don't have to use past tense in Chinese like you do in English, as the text makes it clear usually. "What does he say" AND "What did he say" are both correct. :)
To add to Kim765719's reply, the first part of 她 (she) means woman (女). If you can remember that, it is easy to tell the difference between 他 and 她.
Though he and she are both pronounced the same, ta, The characters are slightly different. I'm sorry, I don't have a Chinese keyboard right now to show you the difference.
Is this the polite way to ask it? Or is there a better way? Would this be appropriate to any context/situation?
Is it also possible to translate it to: What does he speak (= what language does he speak) ?
- 490
I am still having trouble with "什么" vs "吗." Perhaps "什么" always requests a direct object?
- 248
English does not leave "what, who, which, when, where" in place but moves them to the front of the sentence.
