什么也

[tradinup]

Hi all,

I can say these "nothing" sentences but when I think about them they still don't make sense to me why they are the way they are.

我什么也不知道

我什么也没说

我什么也没干

Is it just something that doesn't translate well to english? Just trying to wrap my head around it.

[39degN]

我什么也不知道 I anything do not know.

我什么也没说 I anything did not say.

我什么也没干 I anything did not do.

I don't know anything.

....

....

I dont know how to explain it, but hope this helps.

[skylee]

reminds me of 江青 ...

[Quest]

也 here is smiliar to 都, 什么＝what, 什么也~什么都=whatever=anything. Using 也 and 都 this way reverses the verb+object order.

Never realized Chinese grammar was so chaotic until I tried to explain it.

[tradinup]

Thanks Quest... never thought of thinking of it as 都!

得 also can bring the object + subject in front of the verb, maybe 也 is similar..?

他汉语学得很不错.

汉语他学得很不错.

Those are from Hung-Nin Samuel Cheung's "A practical Chinese grammar"

[anonymoose]

Thanks Quest... never thought of thinking of it as 都!

得 also can bring the object + subject in front of the verb' date=' maybe 也 is similar..?

他汉语学得很不错.

汉语他学得很不错.

Those are from Hung-Nin Samuel Cheung's "A practical Chinese grammar"[/quote']

These could also be expressed as:

他学汉语学得很不错。

[dhl]

reminds me of 江青 ...

How come this reminds you of her?

[zhwj]

Jiang Qing is famous for her statement at her trial, "我什么都不知道!" (as well as "我是毛主席的一条狗﹐叫我咬谁就咬谁！")

[dhl]

Jiang Qing is famous for her statement at her trial, "我什么都不知道!" (as well as "我是毛主席的一条狗﹐叫我咬谁就咬谁！")

the "blue apple:s" acting skills must have come in handy during the procedures