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Looking at [this](http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/grammar/verbparticles),
it seems that when the word 何 is used with the で particle, it roughly
translates into "by means of what" or "in what context." Personally, that
sounds like asking "how". Is this assumption correct? Or can it change based
on situation? Also, would it be appropriate to add の/ん だ/です to the end of
sentences that use this combination (since it seems that an explanation is
being asked.)

Would a sentence like this be correct?: 何で医者になったの？ (How did you become a
doctor?)

Thanks!
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2011-05-31T20:09:24.133
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2011-05-31T21:28:25.173
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grammar usage
Can 何で mean "how"?
Short answer is yes, 何で can mean 'how' as in 'How did you become a doctor?'.
It does however also mean 'Why did you become a doctor?' so it's a little
ambiguous.

To avoid that confusion you can use 「どうやって」 instead i.e.

どうやってお医者さんになりましたか？

Hope this helps.
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2011-05-31T20:14:08.567
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Short answer: no. From your link: "It is also written as 「何で」 but it is read
as 「なんで」. This is a completely separate word and has nothing to do with the
「で」 particle."

Long answer: "何で" can be translated as "how," but a more accurate translation
would be "by means of what object"? So from the link you posted, "何できた？" is
correct, because it is asking "By means of what object (bus, train, bike,
etc.) did you come?"

But one does not become a doctor by means of an object; one becomes a doctor
by taking an action. So as Ali said, a better way to ask this question would
be "どうやって": " _What did you do_ to become a doctor?"
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2011-05-31T20:19:36.133
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Another example of the overlap you can often hear is 何でわかった？, which literally
would be "Why did you know?" but is best expressed in English as "How did you
know?".
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2011-07-09T13:24:50.807
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I agree overall with the other three answers, but I feel there is a difference
depending on how it is read.

  * [何]{なん}で 'why'
  * [何]{なに}で 'by what'

Therefore, `何で医者になったの` has different meanings depending on how it is read.

> [何]{なん}で医者になったの  
>  'Why did you become a doctor?'
>
> [何]{なに}で医者になったの  
>  'By what did you become a doctor?'  
>  Possible answer: [Supposing (counterfactually) that there are several other
> routes for becoming a doctor] 医師国家試験で 'By passing the medical license test'
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2011-09-16T20:30:10.910
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2012-01-02T10:02:16.090
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From my experience, なんで can be used as how, but it is context dependent and
can lead to confusion.

> Native speaker: なんで帰る？  
>  Me: ?? Uh, because it's late... Oh wait, you mean "how am I getting home?"
> Gotcha. By car.
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2011-09-17T05:39:47.927
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