Chinese for Elementary Learners: Asking for Advice with 怎么办 and 有什么建议
Learn to ask for advice in Mandarin using 怎么办 (zěnme bàn) and 有什么建议 (yǒu shénme jiànyì). Build phrases and a short conversation to seek help naturally.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
When you have a problem and need help, you ask for advice. In Mandarin, two common ways are 怎么办 (zěnme bàn), meaning 'What should I do?', and 有什么建议 (yǒu shénme jiànyì), meaning 'Any suggestions?'. Unlike giving advice, these questions put you in the position of needing help. This lesson teaches you to use these phrases in real situations, with correct pronunciation and tone. You will learn to state a problem, then ask for advice. By the end, you can handle small dilemmas in Chinese.
By the end, you can…
- ask 'What should I do?' using 怎么办 in a simple sentence.
- ask 'Any suggestions?' using 有什么建议.
- describe a problem and then ask for advice.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
怎么办？
What should I do?
zěnme bàn?
Use when you are facing a problem and need a solution. It is neutral and common in daily speech.
有什么建议？
Any suggestions?
yǒu shénme jiànyì?
A polite way to ask for advice, often after explaining a situation. Suitable for both casual and formal contexts.
我该怎么办？
What should I do?
wǒ gāi zěnme bàn?
Adds 该 (gāi) 'should' to emphasize seeking advice about your own action. More specific than 怎么办 alone.
你能给我一些建议吗？
Can you give me some advice?
nǐ néng gěi wǒ yīxiē jiànyì ma?
Directly asks someone for suggestions. Use with friends or colleagues when you want their opinion.
我不知道该怎么办。
I don't know what to do.
wǒ bù zhīdào gāi zěnme bàn.
Expresses helplessness before asking for advice. Often followed by a question like 你能帮我吗？
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern for asking advice is: [Problem] + 怎么办？ For example, 我丢了钥匙。怎么办？ (I lost my keys. What should I do?). You can also use 我该怎么办？ to focus on yourself: 我迷路了，我该怎么办？ (I'm lost, what should I do?). To ask for suggestions more politely, use 有什么建议？ after describing the problem: 我想学中文，有什么建议？ (I want to learn Chinese, any suggestions?). Another pattern is 你能给我一些建议吗？ meaning 'Can you give me some advice?'. These patterns let you seek help without giving it.
When to use it
Use 怎么办 when you are in a minor crisis or need a quick solution, like losing something or being late. It is informal and direct. Use 有什么建议 when you want opinions or ideas, often for decisions like choosing a course or solving a recurring issue. It is slightly more polite. Use 你能给我一些建议吗？ when you specifically ask someone for their advice; it is respectful and can be used with acquaintances. Avoid using these phrases to give advice; they are only for seeking it. For example, if a friend says 我累了 (I'm tired), you might ask 你要休息吗？ (Do you want to rest?) but that is giving advice, not asking for it.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
我丢了钥匙。怎么办？
I lost my keys. What should I do?wǒ diū le yàoshi. zěnme bàn?你可以先找找包里。你有什么建议吗？
You can look in your bag first. Do you have any suggestions?nǐ kěyǐ xiān zhǎo zhǎo bāo lǐ. nǐ yǒu shénme jiànyì ma?我找过了，没有。我该怎么办？
I looked, it's not there. What should I do?wǒ zhǎo guò le, méiyǒu. wǒ gāi zěnme bàn?你可以问房东有没有备用钥匙。
You can ask the landlord if there is a spare key.nǐ kěyǐ wèn fángdōng yǒu méiyǒu bèiyòng yàoshi.A little context goes a long way
In Chinese communication, asking for advice directly is common among friends and colleagues, but with strangers or in formal settings, it is polite to soften the request. Adding 请 (qǐng) or using 您 (nín) for 'you' shows respect. For example, 请问，您有什么建议？ (Excuse me, what suggestions do you have?). Also, Chinese speakers may offer advice without being asked, but when you seek advice, showing humility with phrases like 我不太懂 (I don't quite understand) can make the request more acceptable.
One thing to watch for
Using 怎么办 to ask about someone else's problem, as in saying 你怎么办？ to mean 'What should you do?' when you actually want to ask about their situation.
Try this instead: 怎么办 is for asking about your own or a shared problem. To ask about someone else, use 他该怎么办？ (What should he do?) or 你打算怎么办？ (What do you plan to do?). To give advice, use 你可以... (You can...). For example, to suggest resting, say 你可以休息一下 (You can rest a bit).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'What should I do?' in Chinese?
Show a sample answer
我该怎么办？
This uses 我 (I) + 该 (should) + 怎么办 (what to do). It is a common way to ask for advice about yourself. 怎么办 alone is also correct but less specific.
2Translate: 'I want to travel to China. Any suggestions?'
Show a sample answer
我想去中国旅游。有什么建议？
This states the desire with 我想去中国旅游, then asks 有什么建议. You could also say 你有什么建议吗？ to be more direct.
3What is the difference between 怎么办 and 有什么建议？
Show a sample answer
怎么办 means 'What should I do?' and is used for immediate problems. 有什么建议 means 'Any suggestions?' and is used when seeking ideas or opinions, often after describing a situation.
Both seek advice, but 怎么办 is more urgent and personal, while 有什么建议 is broader and slightly more polite. Context decides which is better.
To ask for advice in Chinese, state your problem, then use 怎么办 or 有什么建议. Remember: these are for seeking help, not giving it.
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