How? What is it like? sao / thế nào

To ask what something is like, put thế nào or như thế nào after it: Phim đó thế nào? What was that film like? Đà Lạt như thế nào? What's Đà Lạt like? There's no là right before it, just as there's none before an adjective. To ask what kind of person or place, use là + noun + như thế nào: Anh ấy là người như thế nào? What is he like?

In everyday Saigon speech, sao at the end is the usual word: Anh thấy sao? What do you think? Dạo này sao rồi? How have things been lately? Thế nào is used too, a little more carefully. In Hà Nội thế nào is the everyday word.

After a verb, sao or thế nào asks how something is done: Món này ăn sao? How do you eat this? To ask how to do something, say làm sao để: Làm sao để đi chợ Bến Thành? How do I get to Bến Thành market?

The answer is usually an adjective: Hay lắm! Really good! Cũng được. It's OK.

Watch where sao goes. After a verb at the end it means "how"; at the start it means "why": Sao em không đi? Why aren't you going?