Placement of “why” in a question The word “w - Cchatty

Placement of “why” in a question

The word “why?” wèishénme 为什么, is always placed AFTER the subject of the sentence, not before as it is in English (unless the speaker is being particularly emphatic and almost indignant!):

English: Why are you studying Chinese?
Chinese: You why (for what reason) are studying Chinese?
✔ CC: Nǐ wèishénme xué zhōngwén?
你为什么学中文？

English: Why didn’t she come to class?
Chinese: She why (for what reason) didn’t come to class?
✔ CC: Tā wèishénme méi shàngkè?
她为什么没上课？
✖ BC: Wèishénme tā méi shàngkè?
为什么她没上课？
Why in the world didn’t she come to class?!