Questions with "le ma"

Asking questions about completed actions will involve using both 了 (le) and 吗 (ma). These are simply added to the end of a sentence or statement. Just make sure that 了 (le) comes first, followed by 吗 (ma).

Basic Usage

Structure

Subj. + Verb + Obj. + 了吗?

Note the order of 了 (le) and 吗 (ma).

Examples

• 你 吃饭 了 吗 ？Nǐ chīfàn le ma? Did you eat?
• 老板 走 了 吗 ？Lǎobǎn zǒu le ma? Did the boss leave?
• 你男朋友 找到 新 工作 了 吗 ？Nǐ nánpéngyou zhǎodào xīn gōngzuò le ma? Has your boyfriend found a new job yet?
• 妈妈 ，你 昨天 给 我 打电话 了 吗 ？Māma, nǐ zuótiān gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà le ma? Mom, did you call me yesterday?
• 你 今天 去 上班 了 吗 ？Nǐ jīntiān qù shàngbān le ma? Did you go to work today?

With a Topic

Structure

Topic (+ Subj.) + Verb + 了吗?

NOTE: in this structure, the topic is also the object for the verb.

Examples

• 晚饭 你 吃 了 吗 ？Wǎnfàn nǐ chī le ma? Did you eat dinner?
• 衣服 你 洗 好 了 吗 ？Yīfu nǐ xǐ hǎo le ma? Have you finished washing the clothes?
• 作业 你 写 完 了 吗 ？Zuòyè nǐ xiě wán le ma? Have you finishing doing homework?
• 这 个 电影 你 看 了 吗 ？Zhège diànyǐng nǐ kàn le ma? Have you seen this movie?
• 我 的 邮件 你 收到 了 吗 ？ Wǒ de yóujiàn nǐ shōudào le ma? Have you received my email?

Finally, please note that this pattern is nothing more than the combination of the expressing completion with "le" pattern and the yes/no questions with "ma" pattern.

See also

• Yes-no questions with "ma"
• Expressing completion with "le"
• Rhetorical Questions with "nandao"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 229) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 17) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 429) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

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