How to Ask for Someone's Opinion in Mandarin Chinese
Learn to politely ask 'What do you think?' in Mandarin using 你觉得怎么样, 你认为呢, and other natural patterns. Includes pronunciation, dialogue, and common mistakes.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
Asking for someone's opinion is a key social skill in Mandarin. The most common way is 你觉得怎么样? (Nǐ juéde zěnmeyàng?), which literally means 'You feel how?'—a natural way to ask 'What do you think?' This lesson teaches you to elicit opinions politely without giving your own. You will learn question patterns with 觉得, 认为, and 呢, and how to soften requests with 请 or 想. By the end, you can invite others to share their views in everyday situations like choosing a restaurant, discussing a plan, or asking a friend about a movie. We focus only on asking, not on answering, so you can confidently turn the conversation to the other person.
By the end, you can…
- ask 'What do you think?' using 你觉得怎么样?
- use 你认为呢? to ask for a more formal opinion.
- soften a request with 我想听听你的意见.
- ask about a specific topic with 你对...有什么看法?
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
你觉得怎么样？
What do you think? / How do you feel about it?
Nǐ juéde zěnmeyàng?
The most common, neutral way to ask for an opinion. Use with friends, colleagues, or acquaintances.
你认为呢？
What do you think? / What is your opinion?
Nǐ rènwéi ne?
Slightly more formal than 觉得. Good for work or serious discussions. 呢 makes it a follow-up question.
我想听听你的意见。
I'd like to hear your opinion.
Wǒ xiǎng tīngting nǐ de yìjiàn.
Polite and respectful. Use when you genuinely want someone's view, especially in a meeting or decision.
你对这件事有什么看法？
What are your views on this matter?
Nǐ duì zhè jiàn shì yǒu shénme kànfǎ?
Asks about a specific topic. 对...有什么看法 is a useful frame for 'What's your view on...?'
你觉得呢？
What about you? / What do you think?
Nǐ juéde ne?
Short and casual. Often used after someone has shared their own opinion to invite yours.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 你觉得 + [topic] + 怎么样？ For example, 你觉得这个菜怎么样？ (Nǐ juéde zhège cài zěnmeyàng? — What do you think of this dish?). You can also use 你认为 + [topic] + 怎么样？ for a more formal tone. To ask about a specific aspect, use 你对...有什么看法？ e.g., 你对我们的计划有什么看法？ (Nǐ duì wǒmen de jìhuà yǒu shénme kànfǎ? — What are your views on our plan?). Notice that 觉得 and 认为 are both verbs meaning 'to think/feel', but 觉得 is more about personal feeling, while 认为 is more about reasoned opinion. The question word 怎么样 (how about) or 呢 (what about) comes at the end.
When to use it
Use 你觉得怎么样？ in casual conversations with friends, family, or close colleagues. For example, when choosing a restaurant: 你觉得这家餐厅怎么样？ (Nǐ juéde zhè jiā cāntīng zěnmeyàng? — What do you think of this restaurant?). Use 你认为呢？ in formal settings, such as a business meeting: 你认为这个方案怎么样？ (Nǐ rènwéi zhège fāng'àn zěnmeyàng? — What do you think of this plan?). If you want to be extra polite, say 我想听听你的意见 before asking a specific question. Avoid using 你觉得怎么样？ with strangers or superiors unless the context is clearly informal; instead, use 您觉得怎么样？ (Nín juéde zěnmeyàng?) with the polite pronoun 您.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
我们周末去爬山，你觉得怎么样？
Let's go hiking this weekend, what do you think?Wǒmen zhōumò qù páshān, nǐ juéde zěnmeyàng?听起来不错。不过，你认为呢？
Sounds good. But what do you think?Tīng qǐlái bùcuò. Bùguò, nǐ rènwéi ne?我想听听你的意见。
I'd like to hear your opinion.Wǒ xiǎng tīngting nǐ de yìjiàn.我觉得可以，但是你对时间有什么看法？
I think it's fine, but what are your views on the time?Wǒ juéde kěyǐ, dànshì nǐ duì shíjiān yǒu shénme kànfǎ?A little context goes a long way
In Chinese communication, asking for someone's opinion can be a way to show respect and include others in decision-making. However, direct questions like 你觉得怎么样？ are common among peers. With superiors or older people, use 您觉得怎么样？ or 您认为呢？ to show politeness. Also, Chinese speakers may sometimes give a vague answer like 还可以 (hái kěyǐ — it's okay) to avoid conflict; if you need a clear opinion, you can gently follow up with 你觉得呢？ or 请说说你的看法。 (Qǐng shuōshuo nǐ de kànfǎ. — Please share your view.)
One thing to watch for
Using 你觉得怎么样？ with a boss or a much older person without the polite pronoun 您.
Try this instead: Use 您觉得怎么样？ (Nín juéde zěnmeyàng?) or 您认为呢？ (Nín rènwéi ne?) to show respect. For example, to a manager: 您觉得这个计划怎么样？ (Nín juéde zhège jìhuà zěnmeyàng? — What do you think of this plan?)
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask a friend 'What do you think?' in a casual way?
Show a sample answer
你觉得怎么样？
This is the most common casual phrase. 你认为呢？ is also correct but slightly more formal.
2What is the polite way to ask a superior for their opinion?
Show a sample answer
您觉得怎么样？
Using 您 instead of 你 adds politeness. 您认为呢？ is also acceptable in formal contexts.
3How do you say 'I'd like to hear your opinion' in Chinese?
Show a sample answer
我想听听你的意见。
This phrase is polite and direct. You can also say 我想听听您的意见。 with 您 for extra respect.
To ask for someone's opinion politely in Mandarin, use 你觉得怎么样？ for casual situations and 您认为呢？ for formal ones. Remember to use 您 with superiors, and soften requests with 我想听听你的意见。
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