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| − | The question particle 吗 (ma) is a very simple way to form questions in Chinese. By placing 吗 on the end of a statement, you convert it into a yes/no question. Surprisingly enough, these are questions that could be answered with ''yes'' or ''no'' in English. They're also known as ''polar questions'' or ''binary questions''.
| + | #REDIRECT [[Yes-no questions with ma]] |
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| − | == Basic Pattern ==
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| − | Any statement can be converted into a yes / no question with 吗. For example:
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| − | <div class="liju">
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| − | * 你 喜欢 咖啡。 <span class="expl">("You like coffee.")</span>
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| − | </div>
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| − | "You like coffee" can easily be converted into "Do you like coffee?" by adding 吗:
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| − | <div class="liju">
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| − | * 你 喜欢 咖啡 <em>吗</em>？ <span class="expl">("Do you like coffee.")</span>
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| − | </div>
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| − | You could think of 吗 as being like a question mark you say out loud. More examples of statements and their yes/no question forms:
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| − | <div class="liju">
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| − | * 你 是 白痴。 <span class="expl">("You are an idiot.")</span>
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| − | * 你 是 白痴 <em>吗</em>？ <span class="expl">("Are you an idiot?")</span>
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| − | * 那 是 老虎。 <span class="expl">("That is a tiger.")</span>
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| − | * 那 是 老虎 <em>吗</em>？ <span class="expl">("Is that a tiger?")</span>
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| − | * 他 是 老师。 <span class="expl">("He is a teacher.")</span>
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| − | * 他 是 老师 <em>吗</em>？ <span class="expl">("Is he a teacher?")</span>
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| − | </div>
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| − | It's important to remember that you can not add 吗 to a sentence that's already a question. For example:
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| − | <div class="liju">
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| − | <ul>
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| − | <li class="x">你 是 谁 <strong>吗</strong>？</li>
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| − | <li class="x">这 是 不 是 书 <strong>吗</strong>？</li>
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| − | </ul>
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| − | </div>
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| − | These would be something like "Do you who are you?" and "Does is this a book?" in English - obviously wrong. Still if you're not careful, you may find yourself throwing a 吗 onto the end of a question that doesn't need it. Many learners make this mistake.
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| − | == More Advanced Usage ==
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| − | However, this doesn't mean that a sentence can't have a question word and 吗. For example:
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| − | <div class="liju">
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| − | <ul>
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| − | <li class="o">你 知道 这 是 什么 东西 <em>吗</em>？</li> <span class="expl">("Do you know what this thing is?")</span>
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| − | </ul>
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| − | </div>
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| − | This is OK because the original sentence "你知道这是什么东西" is a statement even though it contains the question word 什么. It's the same in English. "You know ''what'' this is" can be converted into the question "''Do'' you know ''what'' this is?"
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| − | ==See also==
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| − | *[[Tag questions with ma]]
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| − | *[[Positive negative questions]]
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| − | *[[Questions with ne]]
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| − | == Sources and further reading ==
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| − | === Books ===
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| − | * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 29 - 30) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
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| − | * [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)]] (pp. 21) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401 →buy]
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| − | * [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)]] (pp. 23, 250) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235 →buy]
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| − | [[Category:A1 grammar points]]
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