Difference between revisions of "Questions with "le ma""

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
Asking questions about completed actions will involve using both 了 () and 吗 (ma). These are simply added to the end of a sentence or statement. This means you might see questions with 了 (le) and 吗 (ma) in different structures.
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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).
  
== General Usage ==
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== Basic Usage ==
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
Subject + Verb + Object + 了吗?
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Subj. + Verb + Obj. + 了吗?
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
 +
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Note the order of 了 (le) and 吗 (ma).
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 你 <em>了 吗</em>?<span class="trans">Did you go?</span>
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*你 吃饭 <em>了 吗</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ chīfàn <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Did you eat? </span>
* 你 吃 饭 <em>了 吗</em><span class="trans">Did you eat?</span>
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*老板 走 <em>了 吗</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn zǒu <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Did the boss leave? </span>
* 你 看 <em>了 吗</em>?<span class="trans">Did you see?</span>
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*你男朋友 找到 新 工作 <em>了 吗</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ nánpéngyou zhǎodào xīn gōngzuò <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Has your boyfriend found a new job yet? </span>
* 他走 <em>了 吗</em><span class="trans">Did he leave?</span>
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*妈妈 ,你 昨天 给 我 打电话 <em>了 吗</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Māma, nǐ zuótiān gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Mom, did you call me yesterday? </span>
* 你 喝 酒 <em>了 吗</em>?<span class="trans">Did you drink alcohol?</span>
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*你 今天 去 上班 <em>了 吗</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jīntiān qù shàngbān <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Did you go to work today? </span>
* 你 做 <em>了 吗</em><span class="trans">Did you make it?</span>
 
* 她 笑 <em>了 吗</em>?<span class="trans">Did she laugh?</span>
 
* 你 给 我 打电话 <em>了 吗</em><span class="trans">Did you call me?</span>
 
* 你 今天 喝 咖啡 <em>了 吗</em>?<span class="trans">Did you drink coffee today?</span>
 
* 你 吃 水果 <em>了 吗</em><span class="trans">Did you eat fruit?</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
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Topic (+ Subj.) + Verb + 了吗?
Topic + (Subject) + Verb + 了吗?
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
NOTE: in this structure, the topic is also the object for the Verb.
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NOTE: in this structure, the topic is also the object for the verb.
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 北京 <em>了 吗</em>?<span class="trans">Did you go to Beijing?</span>
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*晚饭 <em>了 吗</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Wǎnfàn nǐ chī <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Did you eat dinner? </span>
* 晚饭 你 吃 <em>了 吗</em><span class="trans">Did you eat dinner?</span>
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*衣服 洗 好 <em>了 吗</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Yīfu nǐ xǐ hǎo <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Have you finished washing the clothes? </span>
* 电影 <em>了 吗</em>?<span class="trans">Did you watch the movie?</span>
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*作业 写 完 <em>了 吗</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Zuòyè nǐ xiě wán <em> le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Have you finishing doing homework? </span>
* 作业 你 写 <em>了 吗</em><span class="trans">Did you do homework?</span>
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*这 个 电影 <em>了 吗</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Zhège diànyǐng nǐ kàn <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Have you seen this movie? </span>
* 这 本 书 <em>了 吗</em>?<span class="trans">Did you read this book?</span>
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*我 的 邮件 收到 <em>了 吗</em> ? <span class="pinyin">Wǒ de yóujiàn nǐ shōudào <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Have you received my email? </span>
* 衣服 你 买 <em>了 吗</em><span class="trans">Did you buy clothes?</span>
 
* <em>了 吗</em>?<span class="trans">Did you drink alcohol?</span>
 
* 电话 你 给 我 打 <em>了 吗</em><span class="trans">Did you call me?</span>
 
* 咖啡 今天 喝 <em>了 吗</em>?<span class="trans">Did you drink coffee today?</span>
 
* 水果 你 吃 <em>了 吗</em><span class="trans">Did you eat fruit?</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Notice that in these examples the object is introduced first as a [[Topic-comment sentences|topic]].
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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"|yes/no questions with "ma"]] pattern.
  
Finally, please notice that this pattern is nothing more than the combination of the [[Expressing completion with le]] pattern and the [[Yes - no questions with ma]] pattern.
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== See also ==
  
==See also==
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*[[Yes-no questions with "ma"]]
*[[Yes - no questions with ma]]
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*[[Expressing completion with "le"]]  
*[[Expressing completion with le]]  
 
 
*[[Rhetorical Questions with "nandao"]]
 
*[[Rhetorical Questions with "nandao"]]
 
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (p. 229) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 →buy]
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{{Source|Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide|229}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (p. 17) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297  →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)|17}}
* [[A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)]] (p. 429) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA →buy]
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{{Source|A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)|429}}
 
 
  
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|了|A2|V + 了 + 吗?|你 <em>了 吗</em>?|grammar point|ASGYKDNF}}
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{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
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{{Basic Grammar|了|A2|Verb + 了 + 吗?|你 吃饭 <em>了 吗</em> ?|grammar point|ASGYKDNF}}
 
{{Rel char|吗}}
 
{{Rel char|吗}}
 
{{Similar|Yes - no questions with ma}}  
 
{{Similar|Yes - no questions with ma}}  

Latest revision as of 09:23, 20 April 2021

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