Hi,

As I have promised to you all yesterday that I will share with you other ways to say “how are you” in Mandarin today. In this blog post, I will share with you 4 ways.

1. 你最近怎么样？ – nǐ zuìjìn zěnme yàng？

你: nǐ (you)
最近: zuìjìn (recently; these days)
怎么样: zěnme yang (how was it?; how are things?)

Literal translation of 你最近怎么样？ – nǐ zuìjìn zěnme yàng？ is “you recently how was it?”.

Actual meaning of 你最近怎么样？ – nǐ zuìjìn zěnme yàng？is “How are you doing lately” or “What’s new?” or ““How have you been lately?”

2. 你怎么样？ – nǐ zěnme yàng？

你: nǐ (you)
怎么样: zěnme yang (how was it?; how are things?)

Literal translation of 你怎么样？ – nǐ zěnme yàng？ is “you how was it?”.
Actual meaning of 你怎么样？ – nǐ zěnme yàng？ is “How are you doing” or ““What’s Up?”

3. 你最 近 好 吗 – nǐ  zuìjìn hǎo ma？

你: nǐ (you)
最近: zuìjìn (recently; these days)
好: hǎo (good)
吗: ma (is the question particle that adds to the end of sentences and phrases to change them from statements into questions.)

Literal translation of 你最 近 好 吗 –  nǐ zuìjìn hǎo ma？is “you recently how was it?”.
Actual meaning of 你最 近 好 吗 –  nǐ zuìjìn hǎo ma？is “How are you recently?”

4. 你今天怎么样？ – nǐ jīntiān zěnme yàng?

你: nǐ (you)
今天: jīntiān (today)
怎么样: zěnme yang (how was it?; how are things?)

Literal translation of 你今天怎么样？ – nǐ jīntiān zěnme yàng? is “you today how was it?”.
Actual meaning of 你今天怎么样？ – nǐ jīntiān zěnme yàng? is “How are you today?”

In fact, you can switch the word 今天: jīntiān (today) to certain period of time like:

a) 昨天 – zuótiān – yesterday
Hence, it can become like: 你昨天怎么样？ – nǐ zuótiān zěnme yàng?
Meaning: How was your yesterday?

b) 上个星期 – shàng gè xīngqí – last week
Hence, it can become like: 你上个星期怎么样？- nǐ shàng gè xīngqí zěnme yàng?

Meaning: How was your last week?
For the next lesson, I shall share with you how to reply when someone greet you 你好吗 ? (nǐ hǎo ma)?

So, stay tune.

谢谢 (Xiè xie) – Thank you
再见 (Zài jiàn)  – Good bye