你做
nǐ zuò
You do
你做 (nǐ zuò) directly translates to "you do" or "you make." While it can be used in statements like "you do this," it's very common as part of a question, such as "What do you do?" (你做什么？) or "Do you do X?" (你做X吗？).
When to use it
Neutral. When asking about someone's profession, a common and polite way is 你是做什么工作的？ (What kind of work do you do?). If you're telling someone to do something, 你来做 (You do it / You take charge of it) or 你去做 (You go do it) are often used.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like "nee-TSWO." The first syllable 你 (nǐ) is a third tone, like "nee" with a dip. The second syllable 做 (zuò) is a fourth tone, like "tswo" or "dzwo" with a sharp falling sound.
Other ways to say it
- 你做什么？nǐ zuò shén me ？What do you do?
- 你来做。nǐ lái zuò 。You do it / You take charge.
- 你会做吗？nǐ huì zuò ma ？Can you do it? / Do you know how to do it?
Examples
你做什么工作？
nǐ zuò shén me gōng zuò ？
What kind of work do you do?
你来做这个决定吧。
nǐ lái zuò zhè ge jué dìng ba 。
You make this decision.
你做饭吗？
nǐ zuò fàn ma ？
Do you cook?
Pro tip: “你做” rarely stands alone as a complete sentence. It almost always needs an object or is part of a larger question or statement. It's about the action of "doing" or "making."
Related phrases
和平 · Peace钱 · Money闭嘴 · Shut up
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