Simplified Chinese - Lesson 27 of 156: Follow Up Questions

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

持续了多久

chíxù le duō jiǔ?

How long did it last?

Meaning: How long did it last?

When to use: Use this to ask how long an event, activity, or symptom continued. In spoken Chinese people also say “多长时间？”.

Tip: Some learners always use “多长时间？” — that's fine, but 持续了多久？sounds more natural for events.

你说你生病了，发烧持续了多久？

Nǐ shuō nǐ shēngbìng le, fāshāo chíxù le duōjiǔ?

You said you were sick — how long did the fever last?

演唱会太棒了，持续了多久？

Yǎnchànghuì tài bàng le, chíxù le duōjiǔ?

The concert was great — how long did it last?

之后你做了什么？

zhīhòu nǐ zuò le shénme?

What did you do after that?

Meaning: Then what did you do?

When to use: Use this to ask what action happened next in a story. Colloquially, people often say “然后呢？”.

你先去了博物馆，之后你做了什么？

Nǐ xiān qù le bówùguǎn, zhīhòu nǐ zuò le shénme?

You went to the museum first — then what did you do?

他遇到一个老朋友，之后他做了什么？

Tā yùdào yí gè lǎo péngyǒu, zhīhòu tā zuò le shénme?

He met an old friend — what did he do after?

容易还是难

róngyì háishi nán?

Was it easy or hard?

Meaning: Easy or hard?

When to use: Use this to ask whether something was easy or difficult. A shorter spoken alternative is “难不难？”.

学中文的第一周，容易还是难？

Xué Zhōngwén de dì yī zhōu, róngyì háishi nán?

In the first week learning Chinese, was it easy or hard?

爬那座山，感觉是容易还是难？

Pá nà zuò shān, gǎnjué shì róngyì háishi nán?

Climbing that mountain — was it easy or hard?

最好的是哪部分？

zuì hǎo de shì nǎ bùfen?

What was the best part?

Meaning: Which part was the best?

When to use: Use this to ask what the most enjoyable or positive part of an experience was. Spoken variation: “哪部分最好？”.

你说旅行很棒，最好的是哪部分？

Nǐ shuō lǚxíng hěn bàng, zuì hǎo de shì nǎ bùfen?

You said the trip was great — which part was the best?

比赛中最好的是哪部分？是终点还是沿途风景？

Bǐsài zhōng zuì hǎo de shì nǎ bùfen? Shì zhōngdiǎn háishi yántú fēngjǐng?

Which part was best in the race — the finish or the scenery along the way?

比如什么

bǐrú shénme?

Like what?

Meaning: For example what?

When to use: Use this to ask someone to give a specific example or type. It prompts concrete details.

你说那家店便宜，比如什么？

Nǐ shuō nà jiā diàn piányi, bǐrú shénme?

You said that shop is cheap — for example, what?

你喜欢中国菜，比如什么菜？

Nǐ xǐhuan Zhōngguó cài, bǐrú shénme cài?

You like Chinese food — for example, which dishes?

你怎么知道的

nǐ zěnme zhīdào de?

How do you know?

Meaning: How do you know?

When to use: Use this to ask where someone got their information or why they believe something. It can sound direct; softer: “你是怎么知道的？”.

Tip: Beginners sometimes sound blunt. Add 你是怎么知道的？to soften it.

他说他通过朋友知道的，你怎么知道的？

Tā shuō tā tōngguò péngyǒu zhīdào de, nǐ zěnme zhīdào de?

He said he heard it through a friend — how do you know?

这件事很惊讶，你怎么知道的？

Zhè jiàn shì hěn jīngyà, nǐ zěnme zhīdào de?

This is surprising — how do you know?

为什么会这样

wèishénme huì zhèyàng?

Why is that?

Meaning: Why is that?

When to use: Use this to ask for a reason or explanation for a situation. Another natural form: “这是为什么？”.

店里突然没人了，为什么会这样？

Diàn lǐ túrán méi rén le, wèishénme huì zhèyàng?

The shop suddenly had no people — why is that?

他走路很快，为什么会这样？

Tā zǒulù hěn kuài, wèishénme huì zhèyàng?

He walks very fast — why is that?

那是什么感觉

nà shì shénme gǎnjué?

What was it like?

Meaning: What did that feel like?

When to use: Use this to ask someone to describe the feeling or experience they had. Colloquial: “感觉怎么样？”.

第一次登台表演，那是什么感觉？

Dì yī cì dēngtái biǎoyǎn, nà shì shénme gǎnjué?

Your first time on stage — what did that feel like?

跳伞之后，你说很自由，那是什么感觉？

Tiàosǎn zhīhòu, nǐ shuō hěn zìyóu, nà shì shénme gǎnjué?

After skydiving you said it felt free — what did that feel like?

在那之前发生了什么？

zài nà zhīqián fāshēng le shénme?

What happened before that?

Meaning: What happened before that?

When to use: Use this to ask for earlier details in a sequence or story — it helps fill gaps in a narrative.

你突然开始跑，在那之前发生了什么？

Nǐ tūrán kāishǐ pǎo, zài nà zhīqián fāshēng le shénme?

You suddenly started running — what happened before that?

他说车坏了，在那之前发生了什么？

Tā shuō chē huài le, zài nà zhīqián fāshēng le shénme?

He said the car broke down — what happened before that?

我理解得对吗

wǒ lǐjiě de duì ma?

Did I understand that right?

Meaning: Did I understand that right?

When to use: Use this to check if your understanding is correct. A slightly more polite form: “我这样理解对吗？”.

所以你不想去工作旅游，我理解得对吗？

Suǒyǐ nǐ bù xiǎng qù gōngzuò lǚyóu, wǒ lǐjiě de duì ma?

So you don't want to go for a work trip — did I understand that right?

你是说下周搬家，我理解得对吗？

Nǐ shì shuō xià zhōu bānjiā, wǒ lǐjiě de duì ma?

You mean you're moving next week — did I understand that right?

这种事多久发生一次？

zhè zhǒng shì duō jiǔ fāshēng yí cì?

How often does that happen?

Meaning: How often does that happen?

When to use: Use this to ask about the frequency of something mentioned. In speech you can also ask “这事常发生吗？”.

你说雨季很严重，这种事多久发生一次？

Nǐ shuō yǔjì hěn yánzhòng, zhè zhǒng shì duōjiǔ fāshēng yí cì?

You said the rainy season is severe — how often does that happen?

电脑出问题，这种事多久发生一次？

Diànnǎo chū wèntí, zhè zhǒng shì duōjiǔ fāshēng yí cì?

The computer has issues — how often does that happen?

你能说得具体一点吗？

nǐ néng shuō de jùtǐ yìdiǎn ma?

Can you be more specific?

Meaning: Can you be more specific?

When to use: Use this polite request to ask someone to give clearer, more exact information. The “能……吗” structure sounds courteous.

Tip: Some learners try a long sentence. Short polite question is clearer and friendlier.

这个计划太模糊了，你能说得具体一点吗？

Zhège jìhuà tài móhu le, nǐ néng shuō de jùtǐ yìdiǎn ma?

This plan is too vague — can you be more specific?

你提到问题很多，你能说得具体一点吗？

Nǐ tíchū wèntí hěn duō, nǐ néng shuō de jùtǐ yìdiǎn ma?

You mentioned many problems — can you be more specific?

Simplified Chinese - Follow Up Questions

1. Reading + Listening Practice

2. Conversational Listening Practice

3. Guided Practice

Which question would you ask to check if you understood correctly?

If someone says a meeting lasted a long time, which follow-up asks about duration?

You want a specific example of popular food — which question do you ask?

After hearing about repeated problems, you want to know the frequency. Which question fits?

How long did the mountain activity last?

Can you be more specific?

How often does that happen?

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice