"你问他。"
Translation:You ask him.
20 Comments
I have a question: does this mean "You ask him." as a statement of fact, like "You are asking him." or is this more a command, like, "I don't want to ask him...you ask him." or can it be both like in English?
Depends on the context. If I repeat a story, like you just told me that you have asked him something, I may repeat 你問他. If I cannot give you an answer, and I know him may / can answer you, I shall suggest 你問他.
The omission of "you" from the English Translation just seems unnecessarily lazy here.
Because "ask him" omits "you." As given, there is nothing about 你问他 that implies that it should be imperative; instead, it could be descriptive, but "ask him" is definitely in the imperative mood.
It was at the time of the comment
I think this might be one of those phrases that can't be translated properly into English. Nobody says just "You ask him". They might say "You MUST ask him" or "You SHOULD ask him".
"You ask him" just doesn't sound right in English... Unless if Shelly is teasing Mandy to ask Tommy to the prom. "You ask him." "No, YOU ask him!"
Since there are no gender pronouns, "Ask her" or "You ask her" should also be acceptable.
他 means "he" or "him." 她 means "she" or "her. 它 means "it." The exercise sentence as given, 你问他, means "you ask him;" the sentence does not mean "you ask her."
