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

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

是你买的吗？

Shì nǐ mǎi de ma?

SHI...DE

I am going to the tearoom to have some tea. Will you come as well?

我去茶馆喝茶，你也要去吗？

Wǒ qù cháguǎn hē chá, nǐ yě yào qù ma?

TO GO

Is it possible to smoke here?

这里可以抽烟吗?

Zhèli kěyǐ chōuyān ma

Is the teacher in the classroom yet?

老师已经在教室吗？

Lǎoshī yǐjīng zài jiàoshì ma?

WORDS 经 TO BE / 在

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

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

Is it possible to charge a battery here?

这里可不可以充电？

Zhèli kě bù kěyǐ chōngdiàn?

电 ELECTRIC

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

Who will pick the dishes?

谁来点菜？

Shéi lái diǎn cài?

SMALL TALK 点 POINT

Who's clothes is this?

这是谁的衣服？

Zhè shì shéi de yīfu?

谁 / WHO?

Who is your teacher?

你的老师是谁？

Nǐ de lǎoshī shì shéi?

谁 / WHO?