Difference between revisions of "Advanced yes-no questions with "ma""
m (Text replacement - "zhīdào" to "zhīdao")
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* 这 是 什么 东西 ？<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì shénme dōngxī?</span><span class="trans">What is this thing?</span>
 
* 这 是 什么 东西 ？<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì shénme dōngxī?</span><span class="trans">What is this thing?</span>
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* <strong>你 知道</strong> 这 是 什么 东西 <em>吗</em>？<span class="pinyin"><strong>Nǐ zhīdào</strong> zhè shì shénme dōngxī <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you know what this thing is?</span>
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* <strong>你 知道</strong> 这 是 什么 东西 <em>吗</em>？<span class="pinyin"><strong>Nǐ zhīdao</strong> zhè shì shénme dōngxī <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you know what this thing is?</span>
  
 
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* 他 是 谁 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā shì shuí?</span><span class="trans">Who is he?</span>
 
* 他 是 谁 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā shì shuí?</span><span class="trans">Who is he?</span>
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* 你 <strong>知道</strong> 他 是 谁 <em>吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>zhīdào</strong> tā shì shéi <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you know who he is?</span>
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* 你 <strong>知道</strong> 他 是 谁 <em>吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>zhīdao</strong> tā shì shéi <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you know who he is?</span>
  
 
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* 怎么 学 中文 ？<span class="pinyin">Zěnme xué Zhōngwén?</span><span class="trans">How does one learn Chinese?</span>
 
* 怎么 学 中文 ？<span class="pinyin">Zěnme xué Zhōngwén?</span><span class="trans">How does one learn Chinese?</span>
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* 你 <strong>知道</strong> 怎么 学 中文 <em>吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>zhīdào</strong> zěnme xué Zhōngwén <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you know how to learn Chinese?</span>
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* 你 <strong>知道</strong> 怎么 学 中文 <em>吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>zhīdao</strong> zěnme xué Zhōngwén <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you know how to learn Chinese?</span>
  
 
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* 他 叫 什么 名字 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā jiào shénme míngzì?</span><span class="trans">What is ihis name?</span>
 
* 他 叫 什么 名字 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā jiào shénme míngzì?</span><span class="trans">What is ihis name?</span>
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* 你 <strong>知道</strong> 他 叫 什么 名字 <em>吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>zhīdào</strong> tā jiào shénme míngzì <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you what his name is?</span>
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* 你 <strong>知道</strong> 他 叫 什么 名字 <em>吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>zhīdao</strong> tā jiào shénme míngzì <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you what his name is?</span>
  
 
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* 王 老师 在 哪里 ？<span class="pinyin">Wáng lǎoshī zài nǎlǐ?</span><span class="trans">Where is Teacher Wang?</span>
 
* 王 老师 在 哪里 ？<span class="pinyin">Wáng lǎoshī zài nǎlǐ?</span><span class="trans">Where is Teacher Wang?</span>
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* 你 <strong>知道</strong> 王 老师 在 哪里 <em>吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>zhīdào</strong> wáng lǎoshī zài nǎlǐ <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you know where Teacher Wang is?</span>
+
* 你 <strong>知道</strong> 王 老师 在 哪里 <em>吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>zhīdao</strong> wáng lǎoshī zài nǎlǐ <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you know where Teacher Wang is?</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 15:18, 18 February 2016

The question particle 吗 (ma) is a very simple way to convert it into a "yes/no question," and beginners will learn not to use 吗 with other question words, because it's redundant. More advanced students, however, will note that 吗 has some more complicated structures that do involve combining it with question words in order to ask very specific types of confirming questions.

Structure

You'll remember that this is the simple pattern for yes/no questions:

Statement + 吗 ？

If you embed a question that uses a question word instead of a statement, you can create a more complex kind of "confirming" 吗 (ma) question:

[Question-word Question] + 吗 ？

Examples of common question words include 什么 (shénme), 谁 (shéi), and 哪里 (nǎli).

Examples

Note that the following examples typically contains some kind of "verb of understanding" such as 知道 (zhīdao),了解 (liǎojiě), 明白 (míngbai), 认识 (rènshi), etc. Then "吗" (ma) can still be added at the end of the question, turning it into a kind of confirmation. For example:

  • 这 是 什么 东西 ？Zhè shì shénme dōngxī?What is this thing?
  • 你 知道 这 是 什么 东西 吗？Nǐ zhīdao zhè shì shénme dōngxī ma?Do you know what this thing is?
  • 他 是 谁 ？Tā shì shuí?Who is he?
  • 你 知道 他 是 谁 吗？Nǐ zhīdao tā shì shéi ma?Do you know who he is?
  • 这 是 什么 意思 ？Zhè shì shénme yìsi?What is the meaning of this?
  • 你 明白 这 是 什么 意思 吗？Nǐ míngbái zhè shì shénme yìsi ma?Do you understand the meaning of this?
  • 他 的 问题 是 什么 ？Tā de wèntí shì shénme?What is his question?
  • 你 明白 他 的 问题 是 什么 吗？Nǐ míngbái tā de wèntí shì shénme ma?Do you understand what his question is?
  • 怎么 学 中文 ？Zěnme xué Zhōngwén?How does one learn Chinese?
  • 你 知道 怎么 学 中文 吗？Nǐ zhīdao zěnme xué Zhōngwén ma?Do you know how to learn Chinese?
  • 他 叫 什么 名字 ？Tā jiào shénme míngzì?What is ihis name?
  • 你 知道 他 叫 什么 名字 吗？Nǐ zhīdao tā jiào shénme míngzì ma?Do you what his name is?
  • 王 老师 在 哪里 ？Wáng lǎoshī zài nǎlǐ?Where is Teacher Wang?
  • 你 知道 王 老师 在 哪里 吗？Nǐ zhīdao wáng lǎoshī zài nǎlǐ ma?Do you know where Teacher Wang is?

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK4


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