Traditional Chinese - Lesson 27 of 152: Follow-Up Questions

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

持續了多久

Chíxù le duōjiǔ?

How long did it last?

Meaning: 持續了多久？ (Chíxù le duōjiǔ?) = How long did it last?

When to use: Use this when someone talks about an activity, meeting, trip, class, movie, or event, and you want to know the duration.

Tip: Don’t use this for frequency. 持續了多久？ (Chíxù le duōjiǔ?) asks the length of one event.

你昨天的會議持續了多久？

Nǐ zuótiān de huìyì chíxù le duōjiǔ?

How long did your meeting yesterday last?

那場電影持續了多久？

Nà chǎng diànyǐng chíxù le duōjiǔ?

How long did that movie last?

那之後你做了什麼？

Nà zhīhòu nǐ zuò le shénme?

What did you do after that?

Meaning: 那之後你做了什麼？ (Nà zhīhòu nǐ zuò le shénme?) = What did you do after that?

When to use: Use this to keep a personal story moving forward and ask about the next action.

你吃完飯，那之後你做了什麼？

Nǐ chī wán fàn, nà zhīhòu nǐ zuò le shénme?

After you finished eating, what did you do after that?

你跟朋友見面，那之後你做了什麼？

Nǐ gēn péngyǒu jiànmiàn, nà zhīhòu nǐ zuò le shénme?

You met your friend—what did you do after that?

那很簡單還是很難？

Nà hěn jiǎndān háishì hěn nán?

Was it easy or hard?

Meaning: 那很簡單還是很難？ (Nà hěn jiǎndān háishì hěn nán?) = Was it easy or hard?

When to use: Use this when someone tried something, learned something, or handled a task, and you want to ask how difficult it was.

Tip: In 還是 (háishì) questions, you are offering choices: easy or hard. You don’t need 嗎 (ma) at the end.

第一次騎機車，那很簡單還是很難？

Dì yī cì qí jīchē, nà hěn jiǎndān háishì hěn nán?

Riding a scooter for the first time—was it easy or hard?

做珍珠奶茶，那很簡單還是很難？

Zuò zhēnzhū nǎichá, nà hěn jiǎndān háishì hěn nán?

Making bubble tea—was it easy or hard?

最棒的部分是什麼？

Zuì bàng de bùfen shì shénme?

What was the best part?

Meaning: 最棒的部分是什麼？ (Zuì bàng de bùfen shì shénme?) = What was the best part?

When to use: Use this after someone describes a trip, class, date, meal, concert, or any experience.

你去台南玩，最棒的部分是什麼？

Nǐ qù Táinán wán, zuì bàng de bùfen shì shénme?

You went to Tainan for fun—what was the best part?

昨天的演唱會，最棒的部分是什麼？

Zuótiān de yǎnchànghuì, zuì bàng de bùfen shì shénme?

What was the best part of yesterday’s concert?

比如說

Bǐrú shuō?

Like what?

Meaning: 比如說？ (Bǐrú shuō?) = Like what?

When to use: Use this short question when someone says something general and you want one or two examples.

你吃了很多小吃。比如說？

Nǐ chī le hěn duō xiǎochī. Bǐrú shuō?

You ate a lot of snacks. Like what?

你說有幾個問題。比如說？

Nǐ shuō yǒu jǐ ge wèntí. Bǐrú shuō?

You said there were a few problems. Like what?

你怎麼知道

Nǐ zěnme zhīdào?

How do you know?

Meaning: 你怎麼知道？ (Nǐ zěnme zhīdào?) = How do you know?

When to use: Use this to ask how someone got information—maybe they saw it, heard it, read it, or someone told them.

台北明天會下雨。你怎麼知道？

Táiběi míngtiān huì xià yǔ. Nǐ zěnme zhīdào?

It will rain in Taipei tomorrow. How do you know?

他今天不來。你怎麼知道？

Tā jīntiān bù lái. Nǐ zěnme zhīdào?

He’s not coming today. How do you know?

為什麼會這樣

Wèishénme huì zhèyàng?

Why is that?

Meaning: 為什麼會這樣？ (Wèishénme huì zhèyàng?) = Why is that?

When to use: Use this when you want the reason behind a surprising, confusing, or interesting situation.

捷運突然停了。為什麼會這樣？

Jiéyùn túrán tíng le. Wèishénme huì zhèyàng?

The MRT suddenly stopped. Why is that?

這家店今天沒開。為什麼會這樣？

Zhè jiā diàn jīntiān méi kāi. Wèishénme huì zhèyàng?

This shop isn’t open today. Why is that?

感覺怎麼樣

Gǎnjué zěnmeyàng?

What was it like?

Meaning: 感覺怎麼樣？ (Gǎnjué zěnmeyàng?) = What was it like?

When to use: Use this to ask someone to describe the feeling or overall experience.

你第一次去花蓮，感覺怎麼樣？

Nǐ dì yī cì qù Huālián, gǎnjué zěnmeyàng?

Your first time going to Hualien—what was it like?

新工作感覺怎麼樣？

Xīn gōngzuò gǎnjué zěnmeyàng?

What is the new job like?

在那之前發生了什麼？

Zài nà zhīqián fāshēng le shénme?

What happened before that?

Meaning: 在那之前發生了什麼？ (Zài nà zhīqián fāshēng le shénme?) = What happened before that?

When to use: Use this when you need earlier details in a story or want to understand the order of events.

他道歉了。在那之前發生了什麼？

Tā dàoqiàn le. Zài nà zhīqián fāshēng le shénme?

He apologized. What happened before that?

你們吵架了？在那之前發生了什麼？

Nǐmen chǎojià le? Zài nà zhīqián fāshēng le shénme?

You two argued? What happened before that?

我這樣理解對嗎？

Wǒ zhèyàng lǐjiě duì ma?

Did I understand that right?

Meaning: 我這樣理解對嗎？ (Wǒ zhèyàng lǐjiě duì ma?) = Did I understand that right?

When to use: Use this to check that you understood someone correctly, especially after they explain something.

Tip: This is softer than just saying 對嗎？ (duì ma?). It shows you are checking your own understanding.

所以你明天不來，我這樣理解對嗎？

Suǒyǐ nǐ míngtiān bù lái, wǒ zhèyàng lǐjiě duì ma?

So you’re not coming tomorrow—did I understand that right?

你是說先訂票再付款，我這樣理解對嗎？

Nǐ shì shuō xiān dìng piào zài fùkuǎn, wǒ zhèyàng lǐjiě duì ma?

You mean book the ticket first and then pay—did I understand that right?

這種事多久發生一次？

Zhè zhǒng shì duōjiǔ fāshēng yí cì?

How often does that happen?

Meaning: 這種事多久發生一次？ (Zhè zhǒng shì duōjiǔ fāshēng yí cì?) = How often does that happen?

When to use: Use this when someone mentions something that may happen again and again, and you want to know the frequency.

Tip: This asks frequency, not duration. For one event’s length, use 持續了多久？ (Chíxù le duōjiǔ?).

你說電梯常壞，這種事多久發生一次？

Nǐ shuō diàntī cháng huài, zhè zhǒng shì duōjiǔ fāshēng yí cì?

You said the elevator often breaks. How often does that happen?

台北下午常下雨，這種事多久發生一次？

Táiběi xiàwǔ cháng xià yǔ, zhè zhǒng shì duōjiǔ fāshēng yí cì?

It often rains in Taipei in the afternoon. How often does that happen?

可以講具體一點嗎？

Kěyǐ jiǎng jùtǐ yìdiǎn ma?

Can you be more specific?

Meaning: 可以講具體一點嗎？ (Kěyǐ jiǎng jùtǐ yìdiǎn ma?) = Can you be more specific?

When to use: Use this polite phrase when the information is too general and you need clearer or more exact details.

你說時間不方便，可以講具體一點嗎？

Nǐ shuō shíjiān bù fāngbiàn, kěyǐ jiǎng jùtǐ yìdiǎn ma?

You said the time doesn’t work. Can you be more specific?

你說哪裡不舒服，可以講具體一點嗎？

Nǐ shuō nǎlǐ bù shūfú, kěyǐ jiǎng jùtǐ yìdiǎn ma?

You said you don’t feel well somewhere. Can you be more specific?

Traditional Chinese - Follow-Up Questions

1. Reading + Listening Practice

2. Conversational Listening Practice

3. Guided Practice

Someone says their meeting was very long. Which question asks about the duration?

You want someone to give an example. What should you say?

Someone explains a plan, and you want to check if you understood. Which phrase fits?

Someone says this kind of problem happens again and again. Which question asks about frequency?

You said that shop is special. Like what?

You said your friend left first. What did you do after that?

You said the class time changed. Why is that?

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice