Advanced yes-no questions with "ma"

The question particle 吗 (ma) is a very simple way to convert it into a "yes/no question," and beginners will learn not to use 吗 with other question words, because it's redundant. More advanced studentsm however, will note that 吗 has some more complicated structures that do involve combining it with question words in order to ask very specific types of confirming questions.

Structure

You'll remember that this is the simple pattern for yes/no questions:

Statement + 吗 ？

If you embed a question that uses a question word instead of a statement, you can create a more complex kind of "confirming" 吗 (ma) question:

[Question-word Question] + 吗 ？

Examples of common question words include 什么 (shénme), 谁 (shéi), and 哪里 (nǎli).

Examples

Note that the following examples typically contains some kind of "verb of understanding" such as 知道 (zhīdao),了解 (liǎojié), 明白 (míngbai), 认识 (rènshi), etc. Then "吗" (ma) can still be added at the end of the question, turning it into a kind of confirmation. For example:

• 这 是 什么 东西 ？What is this thing?
• 你 知道 这 是 什么 东西 吗？Do you know what this thing is?

• 他 是 谁 ？Who is he?
• 你 知道 他 是 谁 吗？Do you know who he is?

• 这 是 什么 意思 ？What is the meaning of this?
• 你 明白 这 是 什么 意思 吗？Do you understand the meaning of this?

• 他 的 问题 是 什么 ？What is his question?
• 你 明白 他 的 问题 是 什么 吗？Do you understand what his question is?

• 怎么 学 中文 ？How does one learn Chinese?
• 你 知道 怎么 学 中文 吗？Do you know how to learn Chinese?

• 他 叫 什么 名字 ？What is ihis name?
• 你 知道 他 叫 什么 名字 吗？Do you what his name is?

• 王 老师 在 哪里 ？Where is Teacher Wang?
• 你 知道 王 老师 在 哪里 吗？Do you know where Teacher Wang is?

See also

• Tag questions with "ma"
• Affirmative-negative questions
• Questions with "ne"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 138-40) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 29-30)　→buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (p. 21) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed) (pp. 23, 250) →buy

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