Questions with "le ma"

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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

Sources and further reading

Books