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

Do you need anything more?

你们还需要别的东西吗？

Nǐmen hái xūyào bié de dōngxi ma?

Will you buy fruits?

你要买水果吗？

Nǐ yào mǎi shuǐguǒ ma?

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

Have you received (it)?

你收到了吗？

Nǐ shōudào le 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

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

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.

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

What beer do you have?

你有什么啤酒？

Nǐ yǒu shénme píjiǔ?

Who are you looking for?

你找谁？

<Nǐ zhǎo shéi?>

谁 / WHO? BASIC ACT