Difference between revisions of "Questions with "ne""

Line 34: Line 34:
 
* 这 个 用 中文 怎么 说?那 个 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge yòng Zhōngwén zěnme shuō? Nà gè <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">How do I say this in Chinese? And that?</span>
 
* 这 个 用 中文 怎么 说?那 个 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge yòng Zhōngwén zěnme shuō? Nà gè <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">How do I say this in Chinese? And that?</span>
 
* 我 在 家,你 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zài jiā. Nǐ <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">I'm at home. What about you?</span>
 
* 我 在 家,你 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zài jiā. Nǐ <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">I'm at home. What about you?</span>
* 你 爸爸 是 上海 人 ,你 妈妈 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bàba shì Shànghǎi rén. Nǐ māmā <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">Your father is Shanghainese. And your mom?</span>
+
* 你 爸爸 是 上海 人 ,你 妈妈 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bàba shì Shànghǎi rén, nǐ māmā <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">Your father is Shanghainese. And your mom?</span>
 
* 你 说 他们 可以 去。我们 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shuō tāmen kěyǐ qù. Wǒmen <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">You said they can go. What about us?</span>
 
* 你 说 他们 可以 去。我们 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shuō tāmen kěyǐ qù. Wǒmen <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">You said they can go. What about us?</span>
* 你 哥哥 有 工作,弟弟 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ gēge yǒu gōngzuò. Dìdi <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">You big brother has a job. What about your little brother?</span>
+
* 你 哥哥 有 工作,弟弟 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ gēge yǒu gōngzuò. Dìdi <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">Your big brother has a job. What about your little brother?</span>
 
* 北京 下雨 了 。 上海 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Běijīng xiàyǔ le. Shànghǎi <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">It's raining in Beijing. How about Shanghai?</span>
 
* 北京 下雨 了 。 上海 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Běijīng xiàyǔ le. Shànghǎi <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">It's raining in Beijing. How about Shanghai?</span>
 
* 我 现在 要 出去 。 你 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiànzài yào chūqù. Nǐ <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">I'm going to go out now. How about you?</span>
 
* 我 现在 要 出去 。 你 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiànzài yào chūqù. Nǐ <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">I'm going to go out now. How about you?</span>
 
* 我 知道 你 会 说 中文 。 你 老公 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhīdào nǐ huì shuō Zhōngwén. Nǐ lǎogōng <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">I know you can speak Chinese. What about your husband?</span>
 
* 我 知道 你 会 说 中文 。 你 老公 <em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhīdào nǐ huì shuō Zhōngwén. Nǐ lǎogōng <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">I know you can speak Chinese. What about your husband?</span>
* 这 个 周末 我 想 去 酒吧 。 你们<em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge zhōumò wǒ xiǎng qù jiǔbā.Nǐmen <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">I want to go to a bar this weekend. What about you all?</span>
+
* 这 个 周末 我 想 去 酒吧 。 你们<em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge zhōumò wǒ xiǎng qù jiǔbā. Nǐmen <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">I want to go to a bar this weekend. What about you all?</span>
 
* 今天 晚上 没 空 ? 明天 晚上<em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǎnshàng méi kòng?  Míngtiān wǎnshàng <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">You don't have time tonight? What about tomorrow evening?</span>
 
* 今天 晚上 没 空 ? 明天 晚上<em>呢</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǎnshàng méi kòng?  Míngtiān wǎnshàng <em>ne</em>?</span><span class="trans">You don't have time tonight? What about tomorrow evening?</span>
  

Revision as of 07:22, 13 February 2016

The particle 呢 (ne) can be used to ask reciprocal questions, also known as "bounce back" questions. 呢 (ne) can also be used to form simple questions asking "what about...?" or "how about...?"

General Questions with 呢

Structure

Topic + 呢 ?

And it's as simple as that. Say what you want to ask about, then stick 呢 (ne) on the end. A very common way to use this is to return a question after being asked it. The classic example is this exchange:

  • A: 你 好 吗 ?Nǐ hǎo ma?
  • B: 我 很 好。你 Wǒ hěn hǎo. Nǐ ne?
  • A: 我 也 很 好 。Wǒ yě hěn hǎo.

Examples

More 呢 (ne) examples (each of these can be translated as a "what about" question):

  • 这 个 很 好 , 那 个 Zhè ge hěn hǎo, nà gè ne?This one is good. What about that one?
  • 这 个 用 中文 怎么 说?那 个 Zhè ge yòng Zhōngwén zěnme shuō? Nà gè ne?How do I say this in Chinese? And that?
  • 我 在 家,你 Wǒ zài jiā. Nǐ ne?I'm at home. What about you?
  • 你 爸爸 是 上海 人 ,你 妈妈 Nǐ bàba shì Shànghǎi rén, nǐ māmā ne?Your father is Shanghainese. And your mom?
  • 你 说 他们 可以 去。我们 Nǐ shuō tāmen kěyǐ qù. Wǒmen ne?You said they can go. What about us?
  • 你 哥哥 有 工作,弟弟 Nǐ gēge yǒu gōngzuò. Dìdi ne?Your big brother has a job. What about your little brother?
  • 北京 下雨 了 。 上海 Běijīng xiàyǔ le. Shànghǎi ne?It's raining in Beijing. How about Shanghai?
  • 我 现在 要 出去 。 你 Wǒ xiànzài yào chūqù. Nǐ ne?I'm going to go out now. How about you?
  • 我 知道 你 会 说 中文 。 你 老公 Wǒ zhīdào nǐ huì shuō Zhōngwén. Nǐ lǎogōng ne?I know you can speak Chinese. What about your husband?
  • 这 个 周末 我 想 去 酒吧 。 你们Zhè ge zhōumò wǒ xiǎng qù jiǔbā. Nǐmen ne?I want to go to a bar this weekend. What about you all?
  • 今天 晚上 没 空 ? 明天 晚上Jīntiān wǎnshàng méi kòng? Míngtiān wǎnshàng ne?You don't have time tonight? What about tomorrow evening?

Asking "Where" with 呢

You'll occasionally hear someone seemingly using 呢 (ne) out of the blue. When this happens, they're usually asking where someone or something is, and they expect that you know what they're talking about and know where that person or thing is.

Structure

[Missing Person/Thing] + 呢 ?

Examples

This one is simple, so just a few examples are needed:

  • Qián ne?Where's the money?
  • 你 妈妈 Nǐ māmā ne?Where's your mom?
  • 我 的 手机 Wǒ de shǒujī ne?Where's my cell phone?

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites