How to use 这么、那么
那么 / 这么 + Adj.
这么 and 那么 before an adjective point to a particular or striking degree. English may translate them as “this,” “that,” or “so,” depending on context. The speaker can refer to an observed quality, a remembered situation, or a level already introduced in the conversation. The adjective itself remains unchanged.
这么 often aligns with what feels immediate or close to the speaker, while 那么 can refer to a more distant or previously established degree. These are contextual viewpoints, not rigid measurements of physical distance or fixed past-versus-present rules. A negative sentence may reject an assumed degree, and a question may express surprise at it. Use the referenced situation and the speaker's perspective to interpret the choice.
Examples with pinyin and English
他说得这么快，你们听得懂吗？
He speaks so fast. Can you guys understand?
我没想到这个考试这么难。
I didn't expect this exam would be this difficult.
雨这么大，明天再去吧。
The rain is so heavy. How about we go tomorrow?
你那么聪明，一定能猜到。
You're so smart. You can definitely guess it.
What to remember
- Place either word before the adjective.
- Look for the degree being referred to.
- Viewpoint matters beyond physical distance or tense.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
Difficulty labels describe the level of the explanation; they are not official HSK placement. Send a correction with this page’s URL.