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 everything right?

一切顺利吗？

Yīqiè shùnlì ma?

Did (you) bring passport?

护照带了吗？

Hùzhào dài le ma?

EXCHANGE

Are you ready?

你准备好了吗？

Nǐ zhǔnbèi hǎo le ma?

BASIC ACT

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

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

Do you have friends in China?

你在中国有没有朋友？

Nǐ zài Zhōngguó yǒumeiyou péngyǒu?

Do you have Chinese friends?

你有没有中国朋友？

<Nǐ yǒu-mei-you Zhōngguó péngyǒu?>

3. USING A QUESTION WORD

COMPLETE LIST OF QUESTION WORDS HERE

For instance: 什么 /shénme/ WHAT

谁 /shéi/ WHO

EXAMPLES

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

你要喝什么啤酒？

<Nǐ yào hē shénme píjiǔ?>

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