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B1 Intermediate Comparisons

How to Say “So” with 这么 and 那么 (zhème / nàme)

这么 and 那么 (zhème, nàme) are the everyday way to say “so” in front of an adjective: 这个包这么贵 (“this bag is so expensive”), 那座山那么高 (“that mountain is so tall”). Use 这么 for something near you or happening now, and 那么 for something farther away or in the past. Add 多 and they cover quantity too: 那么多书 (“so many books”).

Why this trips learners up

When you want to say something is so big, so expensive, or so pretty, Chinese drops a little degree word right in front of the adjective: 这么 (zhème) or 那么 (nàme). The frame could not be simpler: Subject + 这么 / 那么 + Adjective. 这个包这么贵 (“this bag is so expensive”), 你这么聪明 (“you're so smart”), 那座山那么高 (“that mountain is so tall”).

So why two words for one idea? They split by distance. 这么 carries the feel of 这 (“this”): something near you, right in front of you, or happening now. 那么 carries the feel of 那 (“that”): something farther off, over there, in the past, or that you've both already been talking about. 桌上的菜这么香 (“the food on the table smells so good,” it's right here) sits against 他小时候那么瘦 (“he was so thin as a kid,” that was long ago).

The same pair handles quantity once you add 多: 这么多 / 那么多 means “so much / so many.” 他有那么多书 (“he has so many books”), 你买了这么多东西 (“you bought so much stuff”). And you'll hear 这么 constantly in the question frame 怎么这么… (“how come it's so…?”): 今天怎么这么冷？ (“why is it so cold today?”).

One thing to keep straight: 这么 / 那么 set the degree of an adjective, while their cousins 这样 / 那样 mean “like this / like that” and describe the way something is done. 你这么高 is “you're so tall”; 你这样做 is “you do it like this.” Don't reach for 这样 when you just want to turn an adjective up.

The structure

Subject 这么 / 那么 zhème / nàme Adjective
Colour key

Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.

Pattern Subject Verb Object Time Negation Adverb Function word Adjective Question

Examples in context

Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.

Tap a word to see its grammatical role.

zhège bāo 这个包 Subject zhème 这么 Pattern guì 贵 Adjective

This bag is so expensive (basic 这么 + adjective, something right here).

nà tiáo qúnzi 那条裙子 Subject nàme 那么 Pattern piàoliang 漂亮 Adjective

That skirt is so pretty (那么 for something farther off; 那 pairs with 那么).

nǐ 你 Subject jīntiān 今天 Time zěnme 怎么 Question zhème 这么 Pattern gāoxìng 高兴 Adjective

Why are you so happy today? (the everyday 怎么 … 这么 frame).

tā 他 Subject yǒu 有 Verb nàme 那么 Pattern duō 多 Adjective shū 书 Object

He has so many books (这么 / 那么 + 多 for quantity).

méi xiǎngdào 没想到 Verb zhè bù diànyǐng 这部电影 Subject zhème 这么 Pattern yǒuyìsi 有意思 Adjective

I didn't expect this movie to be so interesting (没想到 … 这么).

bié 别 Negation zǒu 走 Verb nàme 那么 Pattern kuài 快 Adjective děngdeng 等等 Verb wǒ 我 Object

Don't walk so fast, wait for me (那么 in a negative command).

nǐ de zhōngwén 你的中文 Subject shuō 说 Verb de 得 Function word zhème 这么 Pattern hǎo 好 Adjective nǐ 你 Subject yīdìng 一定 Adverb hěn 很 Adverb nǔlì 努力 Adjective

Your Chinese is so good, you must have worked hard (这么 after a 得 complement).

nà zuò shān 那座山 Subject kàn qǐlái 看起来 Verb nàme 那么 Pattern gāo 高 Adjective pá shàngqù 爬上去 Verb yīdìng 一定 Adverb hěn 很 Adverb lèi 累 Adjective

That mountain looks so tall, climbing it must be exhausting (那么 for something distant).

Common mistakes

Avoid: 他家那大。 tā jiā nà dà.
Say this: 他家那么大。 tā jiā nàme dà.

Why it happens: Bare 这 / 那 can't carry “so” on their own. You need the full word 这么 / 那么 in front of the adjective: 他家那么大 (“their place is so big”), not 他家那大.

Avoid: 今天这样冷。 jīntiān zhèyàng lěng.
Say this: 今天这么冷。 jīntiān zhème lěng.

Why it happens: 这么 sets the degree of an adjective (“so cold”), while 这样 means “like this” and describes how something is done. For “so cold today” you want 今天这么冷, not 今天这样冷. Save 这样 for verbs: 这样做 (“do it like this”).

Avoid: 这里这么很安静。 zhèlǐ zhème hěn ānjìng.
Say this: 这里这么安静。 zhèlǐ zhème ānjìng.

Why it happens: 这么 already means “so,” so piling 很 (“very”) on top doubles up the degree. Say 这里这么安静 (“it's so quiet here”), not 这里这么很安静. One degree word is plenty.

Compare & contrast

这么 (something near, or right now)那么 (something far, or back then)The difference
这个房间这么干净。zhège fángjiān zhème gānjìng.那个房间那么乱。nàge fángjiān nàme luàn.这个房间这么干净 is “this room is so clean,” the one you're standing in. 那个房间那么乱 is “that room is so messy,” the one down the hall. Near picks 这么, far picks 那么.
你现在这么忙。nǐ xiànzài zhème máng.他小时候那么瘦。tā xiǎoshíhou nàme shòu.你现在这么忙 is “you're so busy right now.” 他小时候那么瘦 is “he was so thin as a kid.” The present moment takes 这么, the distant past takes 那么.
Rule of thumbReach for 这么 when the thing is close to you in space or time, the way you'd point and say “this.” Reach for 那么 when it's farther away, in the past, or something you've both already been talking about, like “that.”

Try it yourself

Say “You look so pretty today.” Use 这么 in front of the adjective.

Related patterns

真真 (zhēn): How to Say “Really” / “So…!”

Another way to crank an adjective up: 真 adds feeling as a pure exclamation (真贵, “so expensive!”), while 这么 / 那么 also hint at how near or far the thing is.

 好极了How to Say “Extremely” with 极了 (jíle)

极了 takes an adjective to the very top and trails behind it (贵极了, “extremely expensive”); 这么 / 那么 sit in front and mean “so… (as this or that).”

 更更 (gèng): How to Say “Even More…”

更 raises an adjective a notch against something else (更贵, “even more expensive”); 这么 / 那么 just mark a high degree on its own (“so expensive”).

 这样How to Say “In This Way” with 这样 (zhèyàng)

The manner cousins: 这样 / 那样 mean “like this / like that” and describe how something is done (这样做), where 这么 / 那么 set the degree of an adjective (这么贵). Same 这/那 feel, different job.

 有点有点 (yǒudiǎn): How to Say “A Bit Too…” (a Complaint)

Opposite ends of the dial: 有点 plays an adjective down to a small gripe (有点贵, “a bit too pricey”), while 这么 / 那么 push it up (这么贵, “so pricey!”).

 挺…的How to Say “Quite” with 挺 (tǐng)

Both are everyday degree words: 这么 / 那么 say “so” and point at how near or far something is (这么贵), while 挺 just says “quite / pretty” in a relaxed way (挺贵的).

 有……吗How to Say “As … As” in Chinese (有……吗)

这么 / 那么 drive the doubting 有 comparison: 有…那么…吗？means “really that [adj]?” (有那么难吗？, “is it really that hard?”). The same 这么/那么 “so / that,” here asking whether something truly reaches that degree.

 怪不得 / 难怪How to Say “No Wonder” in Chinese (怪不得 / 难怪)

怪不得 loves a 这么 / 那么. The “no wonder” reaction often lands on an intensified observation: 难怪这么难吃 (“no wonder it tastes so bad”), 怪不得那么多人 (“no wonder there are so many people”). 这么 / 那么 supply the striking degree that 怪不得 explains.

 人家What Does 人家 Mean in Chinese? (It Can Even Mean “I”)

The pointed “look at them” 人家 leans on 多 / 这么: 你看人家多懂事 (“look how well-behaved they are”), 人家这么努力 (“they work so hard”). 这么 / 那么 / 多 supply the degree; 人家 names the person held up.

 得不得了How to Say “Terribly / Extremely” with 得不得了 (de bùdéliǎo)

Two ways to turn an adjective up: 这么 / 那么 lead it and point at how much (这么忙, “so busy”), while 得不得了 trails it and maxes it out (忙得不得了, “incredibly busy”).

 得很How to Say “Very / Really” with 得很 (de hěn)

Two ways to intensify an adjective: 这么 / 那么 lead it and point at how much (这么好), 得很 trails it with plain, informal emphasis (好得很, “really good”).
Quick reference card
Merry Mandarin How to Say “So” with 这么 and 那么 (zhème / nàme) grammar.merrymandarin.com

A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.

Structure
Subject + 这么 / 那么 + Adjective
Example
这个包这么贵
This bag is so expensive (basic 这么 + adjective, something right here).
Watch out
✗ 他家那大。  →  ✓ 他家那么大。