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 he in China?

他在中国吗？

Tā zài Zhōngguó 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?

Is the place that we go to far?

我们去的地方远吗？

Wǒmen qù de dìfāng yuǎn ma?

CLOSE - FAR

Will you buy fruits?

你要买水果吗？

Nǐ yào mǎi shuǐguǒ 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

Do you have Chinese friends?

你有没有中国朋友？

<Nǐ yǒu-mei-you Zhōngguó péngyǒu?>

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 there a bathroom here?

这里有没有洗手间？

Zhè li yǒu méiyǒu xǐshǒujiān?

TO BE / 有间 SPACE

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 are you looking for?

你找谁？

<Nǐ zhǎo shéi?>

谁 / WHO? BASIC ACT

Who is your teacher?

你的老师是谁？

Nǐ de lǎoshī shì shéi?

谁 / WHO?