Tag questions with "ma"

As well as yes / no questions, you can also form tag questions with 吗 (ma). Tag questions are quick questions that are tagged on the end of a sentence to ask for confirmation. In English, this is often done with "right?", or by adding the negative form of the verb phrase - e.g., "isn't it?".

The easiest way to do this in Chinese is to add an adjective and 吗 (ma) on the end of the sentence.

Basic Pattern

A you can see below, the pattern typically involves words like 好 (hǎo), 对 (duì), 是 (shì), or 可以 (kěyǐ), followed by 吗 (ma).

• ……， 好 吗？ ..., all right?
• ……， 对 吗？ ..., right?
• ……， 是 吗？ ..., is that it?
• ……， 可以 吗？ ..., is that OK?

By placing these on the end of a sentence, you can soften a suggestion or request confirmation.

Examples

• 我们 喝 茶，好 吗？Let's drink some tea, OK?
• 我们 去 咖啡 店，好 吗？Let's go to the cafe, OK?
• 去 吃 中国 菜，好 吗？We are going to go to eat Chinese food, OK?
• 他 是 你 哥哥，对 吗？He is your older brother, right?
• 你 不 知道，对 吗？You don't know, right?
• 这样 做，对 吗？Like this, right?
• 你 喜欢 他，是 吗？You like him, right?
• 你 没有 来 过，是 吗？You haven't been here, right?
• 给 我们 十 二 瓶 酒，可以 吗？Give us twelve bottles of wine, OK?
• 妈妈，我 要 吃 巧克力，可以 吗？Mom, I want to eat chocolate, may I?

See also

• Yes-no questions with "ma"
• Tag questions with "bu"
• Questions with "ne"

Sources and Further Reading

• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 144-145) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (p. 218) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (p. 106) →buy