Hi ChinesePod team, my question is this:
What is the difference between these three words (情况，情形，形势)? They all seem like they translate to ‘situation’ in English and I’ve seen them used in very similar ways.
Hello, good question!
情况, 情形, and 形势 are very similar and they used in the same way. The biggest difference would be 情况 is more colloquial and 情形 is more formal. 形势 is the most formal of the three and it is usually used in news reports, in politics for example.
E.g. 你对于国际经济形势有什么看法？ (What do you think about the international economic circumstance?)
现在是什么情况？(What is going on?)
现在是什么情形？(What is going on?/What is the current situation?)
Hope this helps!
Becca
Thanks, Becca! This was very helpful.