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

Is this yours?

这个是你的吗？

<Zhège shì nǐde ma?>

Did you buy it? (was it bought by you?)

是你买的吗？

Shì nǐ mǎi de ma?

SHI...DE

Are you coming as well?

你也要来吗？

Nǐ yě yào lái ma?

TO COME

Is it possible to change money here?

这里可以换钱吗？

Zhèli kěyǐ huàn qián ma?

EXCHANGE

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.

Can we leave the luggages here?

我们可不可以把行李留在这里？

Wǒmen kě bù kěyǐ bǎ xínglǐ liú zài zhèli?

HOTEL 把 / MOVING OBJECT

Could you give it to me a bit cheaper?

你能不能给我便宜？

Nǐ néng bùnéng gěi wǒ piányi?

EXPENSIVE - CHEAP

3. USING A QUESTION WORD

COMPLETE LIST OF QUESTION WORDS HERE

For instance: 什么 /shénme/ WHAT

谁 /shéi/ WHO

EXAMPLES

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?

What beer will you (do you want to) drink?

你要喝什么啤酒？

<Nǐ yào hē shénme píjiǔ?>

Who's clothes is this?

这是谁的衣服？

Zhè shì shéi de yīfu?

谁 / WHO?