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 tomorrow good for you?

你明天方便吗？

Nǐ míngtiān fāngbiàn ma?

WORDS 方 DAYS

Are they also Europeans?

他们也是欧洲人吗？

<Tāmen yě shì Ōuzhōurén ma?>

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?

Do you need anything more?

你们还需要别的东西吗？

Nǐmen hái xūyào bié de dōngxi 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

Do you have a coke?

你有没有可乐？

Nǐ yǒumeiyou kělè?

Is he Chinese?

他是不是中国人？

<Tā shì-bu-shi Zhōngguórén?>

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?

Who will pick the dishes?

谁来点菜？

Shéi lái diǎn cài?

SMALL TALK 点 POINT

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

你要喝什么啤酒？

<Nǐ yào hē shénme píjiǔ?>