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| − | {{Grammar Box}}
| + | #REDIRECT [[Affirmative-negative question]] |
| − | {{AKA|正反问句 (zhèng-fǎn wènjù)}}
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| − | A common way to form questions in Chinese is to first use a [[verb]] in the positive, then repeat the same verb in its negative form, similar to how in English we can say, "Do you have money or not?" or "Have you or have you not been to the park?" These are called "affirmative-negative questions" or "alternative questions."
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| − | == Verb Not Verb ==
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| − | | |
| − | === Structure ===
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| − | <div class="jiegou">
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| − | Verb + 不 + Verb
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| − | | |
| − | </div>
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| − | | |
| − | === Examples ===
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| − | | |
| − | <div class="liju">
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| − | * 他 很 好 ， <em>是 不 是</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Tā hěn hǎo, <em>shì bù shì</em>?</span> <span class="trans">He is very good, isn't he?</span>
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| − | * 他们 <em>来 不 来</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>lái bù lái</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Are they going to come or not?</span>
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| − | * 很 晚 了 ， <em>走 不 走</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Hěn wǎn le, <em>zǒu bù zǒu</em>?</span> <span class="trans">It's late. Shall we leave?</span>
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| − | * 你 <em>想 不 想</em> 我 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>xiǎng bù xiǎng</em> wǒ?</span> <span class="trans">Do you or do you not miss me?</span>
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| − | * 她 去 了 ， 你 <em>去 不 去</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Tā qù le, nǐ <em>qù bù qù</em>?</span> <span class="trans">She went. Are you going or not?</span>
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| − | * 我们 去 打 球 ， 你 <em>打 不 打</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen qù dǎ qíu, nǐ <em>dǎ bù dǎ</em>?</span> <span class="trans">We are going to play ball, do you want to play?</span>
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| − | * 这 件 衣服 ， 你 <em>买 不 买</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu, nǐ <em>mǎi bù mǎi</em>?</span> <span class="trans">This dress, are you going to buy it or not?</span>
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| − | * KFC ， <em>吃 不 吃</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">KFC, <em>chī bù chī</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Do you want to eat KFC?</span>
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| − | * 咖啡 ， <em>要 不 要</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Kāfēi, <em>yào bù yào</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Do you want coffee?</span>
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| − | * 热 啤酒 ， 你 <em>喝 不 喝</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Rè píjǐu, nǐ <em>hē bù hē</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Hot beer, will you drink it or not?</span>
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| − | </div>
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| − | Note that the question provides the listener with both possible answers: it's either "Verb" or "不 (bù) Verb."
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| − | == Verb Not Verb with an Object ==
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| − | === Structure ===
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| − | If you want to add an object after the verb, the general sentence structure is:
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| − | <div class="jiegou">
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| − | Subject + Verb + 不 + Verb + Object
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| − | | |
| − | </div>
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| − | | |
| − | === Examples ===
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| − | <div class="liju">
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| − | * 她 <em>买 不 买</em> 衣服 ？ <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>mǎi bù mǎi</em> yīfu?</span> <span class="trans">Will she buy the clothes or not?</span>
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| − | * 你 <em>吃 不 吃</em> 饭 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>chī bù chī</em> fàn?</span> <span class="trans">Will you eat?</span>
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| − | * 你 <em>要 不 要</em> 咖啡 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yào bù yào</em> kāfēi?</span> <span class="trans">Do you want coffee?</span>
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| − | * 你 <em>想 不 想</em> 喝 酒 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>xiǎng bù xiǎng</em> hē jǐu?</span> <span class="trans">Do you want to drink alcohol or not?</span>
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| − | * 你 明 天 <em>去 不 去</em> 公园 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ míngtiān <em>qù bù qù</em> gōngyuán?</span> <span class="trans">Are you going to the park tomorrow?</span>
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| − | * 你 <em>想 不 想</em> 她 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>xiǎng bù xiǎng</em> tā?</span> <span class="trans">Do you miss her?</span>
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| − | * 你 <em> 打 不 打</em> 球 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em> dǎ bù dǎ</em> qíu?</span> <span class="trans">Do you play ball?</span>
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| − | * 他们 <em>吃 不 吃</em> KFC ？ <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>chī bù chī</em> KFC?</span> <span class="trans">Do they eat KFC?</span>
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| − | * 今天 你 <em>做 不 做</em> 晚饭 ？ <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān nǐ <em>zùo bù zùo</em> wǎnfàn?</span> <span class="trans">Are you going to cook dinner tonight?</span>
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| − | * <em>喝 不 喝</em> 可乐 ？ <span class="pinyin"><em>Hē bù hē</em> kělè?</span> <span class="trans">Will you have some cola?</span>
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| − | </div>
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| − | == Adjective Not Adjective ==
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| − | === Structure ===
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| − | It can also be done with [[adjectives]] (adjectives often behave like verbs in Chinese):
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| − | <div class="jiegou">
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| − | Adjective + 不 + Adjective
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| − | </div>
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| − | === Examples ===
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| − | <div class="liju">
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| − | * <em>好 不 好</em> ？ <span class="pinyin"><em>Hǎo bù hǎo</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Is it good? (or "good or not good?")</span>
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| − | * <em>热 不 热</em> ？ <span class="pinyin"><em>Rè bù rè</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Is it hot?</span>
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| − | * <em>冷 不 冷</em> ？ <span class="pinyin"><em>Lěng bù lěng</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Is it cold?</span>
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| − | * <em>贵 不 贵</em> ？ <span class="pinyin"><em>Gùi bù gùi</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Is it expensive?</span>
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| − | * <em>高 不 高</em> ？ <span class="pinyin"><em>Gāo bù gāo</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Tall or not?</span>
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| − | * <em>甜 不 甜</em> ？ <span class="pinyin"><em>Tián bù tián</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Is it sweet?</span>
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| − | * <em>辣 不 辣</em> ？ <span class="pinyin"><em>Là bù là</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Is it spicy?</span>
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| − | * 这 个 女孩儿 <em>美 不 美</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Zhè gè nǚháir <em>měi bù měi</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Is this girl beautiful?</span>
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| − | * 中国 菜 <em>辣 不 辣</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Zhōnggúo cài <em>là bù là</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Is Chinese food spicy?</span>
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| − | * 这里 的 咖啡 <em>好 不 好</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ de kāfēi <em>hǎo bù hǎo</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Is the coffee good here?</span>
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| − | </div>
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| − | Again, the question provides the listener with both possible answers: it's either "Adjective" or "不 (bù) Adjective."
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| − | These are something like adding tag questions in English, in this case "Are you an adult or not?" If you wanted to translate it very literally, it would be, "Are you or are you not an adult?" In any case, the structure is a very common way to ask questions in Chinese.
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| − | == Two-character verbs or adjectives in positive-negative questions ==
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| − | All of the verbs used so far have been single-character verbs. Using two-characters verbs in positive-negative questions is slightly trickier. You usually put 不 (bù) after the first character, then put the entire verb. For example 喜不喜欢 (xǐbùxǐhuān) is the usual question form of 喜欢 (xǐhuān). You can repeat the whole two-character verb twice, but it's more common (and more elegant) to insert 不 (bù) after the first character. (The same is true of two-character adjectives.)
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| − | | |
| − | === Structure ===
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| − | | |
| − | It can also be done with [[adjectives]] (adjectives often behave like verbs in Chinese):
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| − | <div class="jiegou">
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| − | the first character of Adjective + 不 + Adjective
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| − | </div>
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| − | | |
| − | === Examples ===
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| − | <div class="liju">
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| − | * 喜欢 <em>不</em> 喜欢 <span class="expl"> (the whole word is repeated)</span><span class="pinyin"><em>Xǐhuān bù xǐhuān</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you like it?</span>
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| − | * 喜 <em>不</em> 喜欢 <span class="expl"> (only the first character is repeated)</span><span class="pinyin"><em>Xǐ bù xǐhuān</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you like it?</span>
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| − | * 高兴 <em>不</em> 高兴 <span class="expl"> (the whole word is repeated)</span><span class="pinyin"><em>Gāoxìng bù gāoxìng</em>?</span><span class="trans">Are you happy?</span>
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| − | * 高 <em>不</em> 高兴 <span class="expl"> (only the first character is repeated)</span><span class="pinyin"><em>Gāo bù gāoxìng</em>?</span><span class="trans">Are you happy?</span>
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| − | * 这 个 女孩儿 <em>漂亮 不 漂亮</em>？<span class="expl"> (the whole word is repeated)</span><span class="pinyin">Zhè ge nǚháir <em>piàoliang bù piàoliang</em>?</span><span class="trans">Is this girl pretty?</span>
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| − | * 这 个 女孩儿 <em>漂 不 漂亮</em>？<span class="expl"> (only the first character is repeated)</span><span class="pinyin">Zhè ge nǚháir <em>piào bù piàoliang</em>?</span><span class="trans">Is this girl pretty?</span>
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| − | * 中国 菜 <em>好吃 不 好吃</em>？<span class="expl"> (the whole word is repeated)</span><span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó cài <em>hǎochī bù hǎochī</em>?</span><span class="trans">Is Chinese food good?</span>
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| − | * 中国 菜 <em>好 不 好吃</em>？<span class="expl"> (only the first character is repeated)</span><span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó cài <em>hǎo bù hǎochī</em>?</span><span class="trans">Is Chinese food good?</span>
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| − | * 这里 的 咖啡 <em>便宜 不 便宜</em>？<span class="expl"> (the whole word is repeated)</span><span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ de kāfēi <em>piányi bù piányi</em>?</span><span class="trans">Is the coffee cheap at this place?</span>
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| − | * 这里 的 咖啡 <em>便 不 便宜</em>？<span class="expl"> (only the first character is repeated)</span><span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ de kāfēi <em>pián bù piányi</em>?</span><span class="trans">Is the coffee cheap at this place?</span>
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| − | </div>
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| − | == 有 in positive-negative questions ==
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| − | === Structure ===
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| − | Because the [[Negation of "you"|verb 有 (yǒu) is negated with 没 (méi) and not 不 (bù)]], the structure for positive-negative questions with 有 (yǒu) is:
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| − | <div class="jiegou">
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| − | Subject + 有没有 + Object
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| − | </div>
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| − | The possible answers are: "有 (yǒu)" or "没有 (méiyǒu)."
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| − | The questions could be be asking about current possession ("do you have it or not?"), or to ask about [[Negation of past actions|verbs in the past]] ("did you do it or not?").
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| − | === Examples ===
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| − | <div class="liju">
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| − | * 你 <em>有 没有</em> 手机 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yǒu méiyǒu</em> shǒujī?</span> <span class="trans">Do you have a cell phone?</span>
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| − | * 你 <em>有 没有</em> 酒 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yǒu méiyǒu</em> jǐu?</span> <span class="trans">Do you have alcohol?</span>
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| − | * 你 <em>有 没有</em> 女 朋友 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yǒu méiyǒu</em> nǚpéngyǒu?</span> <span class="trans">Do you have a girlfriend?</span>
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| − | * 你 <em>有 没有</em> 孩子 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yǒu méiyǒu</em> háizi?</span> <span class="trans">Do you have children?</span>
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| − | * 你 <em>有 没有</em> 去 过 上海 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yǒu méiyǒu</em> qù guo Shànghǎi?</span> <span class="trans">Have you been to Shanghai?</span>
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| − | * 你 <em>有 没有</em> 见 过 他 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yǒu méiyǒu</em> jiàn guo tā?</span> <span class="trans">Have you met him?</span>
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| − | * 你 <em>有 没有</em> 学 过 中文 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yǒu méiyǒu</em> xué guo Zhōngwén?</span> <span class="trans">have you studied Chinese?</span>
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| − | * 你 <em>有 没有</em> 坐 过 飞机 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yǒu méiyǒu</em> zùo guo fēijī?</span> <span class="trans">Have you been on a plane?</span>
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| − | * 你 <em>有 没有</em> 吃 过 中国 菜 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yǒu méiyǒu</em> chī guo Zhōnggúo cài?</span> <span class="trans">Have you eaten Chinese food?</span>
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| − | * 你 <em>有 没有</em> 去 过 西藏 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yǒu méiyǒu</em> qù guo Xīzàng?</span> <span class="trans">Have you been to Tibet?</span>
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| − | </div>
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| − | ==See also==
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| − | *[[Tag questions with bu]]
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| − | *[[Yes-no questions with "ma"]]
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| − | *[[Offering choices with "haishi"]]
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| − | == Sources and further reading ==
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| − | ===Videos===
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| − | * Yoyo Chinese: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu7GPWS2FKE&list=PL94A5E422FB99CDDD Verb-not-verb Questions]
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| − | === Books ===
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| − | * [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 141-4) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
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| − | * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 86, 102-4) [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)]] (p. 87) [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. 102, 250-1) [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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| − | {{Used for|Asking questions}}
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| − | {{Used for|Giving alternatives}}
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| − | {{Basic Grammar|不|A1|V + 不 + V/Adjective + 不 + Adjective|<em>去 不 去</em>？<em>好 不 好</em> ?|grammar point|ASGZH7K3}}
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| − | {{Rel char|没}}
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| − | {{Rel char|没有}}
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| − | {{Similar|Tag questions with bu}}
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| − | {{Similar|Yes - no questions with ma}}
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| − | {{Similar|Offering choices with haishi}}
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| − | {{Similar|Comparing "bu" and "mei"}}
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| − | {{Structure|Question Forms}}
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