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I'm trying to find a good translation for the word "How" in this sentence,
"How is he still standing?" and I'm thinking of using どうやって like, どうやってまだ立ってる？

Is どうやって a good choice for this sentence or would something like どうして be a
better choice? I'm unsure of the exact difference in nuance between the two.
Thanks.
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2023-01-30T07:16:14.413
98380
2023-01-30T15:33:33.303
55146
question
word-choice nuances
Good choice for the word "How" in this context?
どうやって is like "by doing what" — it is an interrogative to ask about a means to
accomplish something. どうやってまだ立ってるんだ would be a natural question if you think
there is some kind of trick involved, such as when someone is happily standing
in the air even after the ground has completely disappeared.

But if you are talking about someone who is still standing after being badly
beaten in a boxing match, there is no special trick involved, so なぜまだ立っていられるんだ
or どうしてまだ立っていられるんだ sounds a little more natural to me. (Potential form is not
strictly necessary, so どうしてまだ立ってるんだ is fine, too.)

(Don't forget to always use an explanatory-の in a why-type question!)
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-30T15:33:33.303
98382
2023-01-30T15:33:33.303
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98380
answer