Grammar: Asking a question

ASKING A QUESTION

_THIS IS A TESTING BETA VERSION OF THE SITE_

3 WAYS TO ASK A QUESTION

CAREFUL: THESE WAYS CAN’T BE COMBINED

1. QUESTION PARTICLE

We place the question particle at the end of the sentence

Question particle is mostly 吗 /ma/

EXAMPLES

I have bought two, do you want one?

我买了两个，你要一个吗？

Wǒ mǎile liǎng gè, nǐ yào yīge ma?

Is it?

是吗？

Shì ma?

Is he in China?

他在中国吗？

Tā zài Zhōngguó ma?

Is everything right?

一切顺利吗？

Yīqiè shùnlì ma?

2. VERB - NEGATION - VERB

For instance 是不是 /shì-bu-shi/ IS or ISN’T = IS IT?

When the verb is based of 2 syllables, like 可以 /kěyǐ/ TO BE POSSIBLE, the construction looks like this:

可不可以 /kě-bù-kěyǐ/ IS IT POSSIBLE?

EXAMPLES

Please could you do me one favor?

请你能不能帮我一个忙。

Qǐng nǐ néng bùnéng bāng wǒ yīge máng.

Do you have Chinese friends?

你有没有中国朋友？

<Nǐ yǒu-mei-you Zhōngguó péngyǒu?>

Do you have friends in China?

你在中国有没有朋友？

Nǐ zài Zhōngguó yǒumeiyou péngyǒu?

3. USING A QUESTION WORD

COMPLETE LIST OF QUESTION WORDS HERE

For instance: 什么 /shénme/ WHAT

谁 /shéi/ WHO

EXAMPLES

What beer do you have?

你有什么啤酒？

Nǐ yǒu shénme píjiǔ?

What meat will you eat? What meat do you want to eat?

你要吃什么肉？

Nǐ yào chī shénme ròu?

RESTAURANT 什么 / WHAT?

Who wants this?

谁要这个？

Shéi yào zhège?