Difference between revisions of "Advanced yes-no questions with "ma""

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*这 是 什么 ?<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì shénmei?</span><span class="trans">What is this?</span>
 
*这 是 什么 ?<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì shénmei?</span><span class="trans">What is this?</span>
 
*<strong>你 知道</strong> 这 是 什么 <em>吗</em>?<span class="pinyin"><strong>Nǐ zhīdào</strong> zhè shì shénme <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you know what this is?</span>
 
*<strong>你 知道</strong> 这 是 什么 <em>吗</em>?<span class="pinyin"><strong>Nǐ zhīdào</strong> zhè shì shénme <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you know what this is?</span>
 
 
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*他 叫 什么 名字 ?<span class="pinyin">Tā jiào shénme míngzi?</span><span class="trans">What is his name?</span>
 
*他 叫 什么 名字 ?<span class="pinyin">Tā jiào shénme míngzi?</span><span class="trans">What is his name?</span>
 
*你 <strong>知道</strong> 他 叫 什么 名字 <em>吗</em>?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>zhīdào</strong> tā jiào shénme míngzi <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you what his name is?</span>
 
*你 <strong>知道</strong> 他 叫 什么 名字 <em>吗</em>?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>zhīdào</strong> tā jiào shénme míngzi <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you what his name is?</span>
 
 
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*他 是 谁 ?<span class="pinyin">Tā shì shéi?</span><span class="trans">Who is he?</span>
 
*他 是 谁 ?<span class="pinyin">Tā shì shéi?</span><span class="trans">Who is he?</span>
 
*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>
 
*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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*他 什么 意思 ?<span class="pinyin">Tā shénme yìsi?</span><span class="trans">What is he saying?</span>
 
*他 什么 意思 ?<span class="pinyin">Tā shénme yìsi?</span><span class="trans">What is he saying?</span>
 
*你 <strong>懂</strong> 他 什么 意思 <em>吗</em>?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>dǒng</strong> tā shénme yìsi <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you understand what he is saying?</span>
 
*你 <strong>懂</strong> 他 什么 意思 <em>吗</em>?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>dǒng</strong> tā shénme yìsi <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you understand what he is saying?</span>
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*我们 想 要 什么 ?<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen xiǎng yào shénme?</span><span class="trans">What do we want?</span>
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*他 <strong>问 过</strong> 我们 想 要 什么 <em>吗</em>?<span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>wèn guò</strong> wǒmen xiǎng yào shénme <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Did he care to ask what we want?</span>
 
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*你 的 问题 是 什么 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de wèntí shì shénme?</span><span class="trans">What is your question?</span>
 
*你 的 问题 是 什么 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de wèntí shì shénme?</span><span class="trans">What is your question?</span>
 
*你 能 <strong>再 说 一 遍</strong> 你 的 问题 是 什么 <em>吗</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ néng <strong>zài shuō yī biàn</strong> nǐ de wèntí shì shénme <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Can you repeat what your question is?</span>
 
*你 能 <strong>再 说 一 遍</strong> 你 的 问题 是 什么 <em>吗</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ néng <strong>zài shuō yī biàn</strong> nǐ de wèntí shì shénme <em>ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Can you repeat what your question is?</span>
 
 
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==See also==
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== See also ==
  
 
*[[Tag questions with "ma"]]
 
*[[Tag questions with "ma"]]

Revision as of 04:36, 16 October 2017

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] + 吗 ?

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

Examples

Note that the following examples typically contains some kind of "verb of understanding" such as 知道 (zhīdào),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 ?Zhè shì shénmei?What is this?
  • 你 知道 这 是 什么 Nǐ zhīdào zhè shì shénme ma?Do you know what this is?
  • 他 叫 什么 名字 ?Tā jiào shénme míngzi?What is his name?
  • 知道 他 叫 什么 名字 zhīdào tā jiào shénme míngzi ma?Do you what his name is?
  • 他 是 谁 ?Tā shì shéi?Who is he?
  • 知道 他 是 谁 zhīdào tā shì shéi ma?Do you know who he is?
  • 他 什么 意思 ?Tā shénme yìsi?What is he saying?
  • 他 什么 意思 dǒng tā shénme yìsi ma?Do you understand what he is saying?
  • 我们 想 要 什么 ?Wǒmen xiǎng yào shénme?What do we want?
  • 问 过 我们 想 要 什么 wèn guò wǒmen xiǎng yào shénme ma?Did he care to ask what we want?
  • 你 的 问题 是 什么 ?Nǐ de wèntí shì shénme?What is your question?
  • 你 能 再 说 一 遍 你 的 问题 是 什么 Nǐ néng zài shuō yī biàn nǐ de wèntí shì shénme ma?Can you repeat what your question is?
  • 他 是 什么 时候 开始 学 中文 的 ?Tā shì shénme shíhou kāishǐ xué Zhōngwén de?When did he started to learn Chinese?
  • 知道 他 是 什么 时候 开始 学 中文 的 zhīdào tā shì shénme shíhou kāishǐ xué Zhōngwén de ma?Do you know when he started to learn Chinese?
  • 这 是 在哪儿 买 的 ?Zhè shì zài nǎr mǎi de?Where did you buy this?
  • 你 能 告诉 我 这 是 在哪儿 买 的 Nǐ néng gàosu wǒ zhè shì zài nǎr mǎi de ma?Can I tell me where you bought this?

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK4