Chinese grammar - Asking questions with 吗 (ma) |
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Asking a question in Chinese can be as simple as adding the question particle 吗 () at the end of a declarative statement. This turns the statement into a 'yes-no' question. Questions can also use the negation marker 不 () for negative questions - so for example turning 'Do you…?' into 'Don't you…?' So the pattern for questions is: [subject] + [verb] + [object] + 吗？ Note that in Chinese there is no inversion of word order to form questions. The particle 吗 typically pronounced in a neutral tone, also known as a light tone, which makes it less emphasized than other words. |
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你是学生吗？
nǐ shì xuéshēng ma? Are you [a] student?
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他是老师吗？
tā shì lǎoshī ma? Is he [a] teacher? |
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你是中国人吗？
nǐ shì zhōngguó rén ma? Are you [a] Chinese [person]? |
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他是美国人吗？
tā shì měiguó rén ma? Is he [an] American [person]? |
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他是学生吗？
tā shì xuéshēng ma? Is he [a] student? |
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你是老师吗？
nǐ shì lǎoshī ma? Are you [a] teacher? |
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你不是医生吗？
nǐ bú shì yīshēng ma? Are you not [a] doctor? |
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你不是中国人吗？
nǐ bú shì zhōngguó rén ma? Are you not [a] Chinese [person]? |
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你喝茶吗？
nǐ hē chá ma? Do you drink tea? |
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你不吃米饭吗？
nǐ bù chī mǐfàn ma? Don't you eat rice? |
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中国人喝咖啡吗？
zhōngguó rén hē kāfēi ma? Do Chinese people drink coffee? (or Does [the] Chinese person...) |
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他喝酒吗？
tā hē jiǔ ma? Does he drink alcohol? |
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美国人不吃米饭吗？
měiguó rén bù chī mǐfàn ma? Don't American[s] eat rice? |
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她不喝酒吗？
tā bù hē jiǔ ma? Doesn't she drink alcohol? |
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他吃肉吗？
tā chī ròu ma? Does he eat meat?
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你喝啤酒吗？
nǐ hē píjiǔ ma? Do you drink beer?
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Pattern: 
