Difference between revisions of "Tag questions with "ma""
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| − | * | + | * 这样 做，<em>对 吗</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Zhèyàng zuò, <em>duì ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Like this, right?</span> |
| − | * | + | * 你们 见过，<em>对 吗</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen jiànguo, <em>duì ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">You’ve met, right?</span> |
| − | * | + | * 他们 昨天 都 没 去， <em>是 吗</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Tāmen zuótiān dōu méi qù, <em>shì ma</em>?</span> <span class="trans">None of them went, right?</span> |
| − | * | + | * 你 没 来 过， <em>是 吗</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ méi lái guò, <em>shì ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">You haven't been here, right?</span> |
| − | * | + | * 你 喜欢 我妹妹， <em>是 吗</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ xǐhuan wǒ mèimei, <em>shì ma</em>?</span> <span class="trans">You like my younger sister, don't you?</span> |
| − | * | + | * 今天 我们 都 不 喝 酒， <em>好 吗</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen hē chá, <em>hǎo ma</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Let's all not drink alcohol, OK?</span> |
| − | * | + | * 我们 去 你家， <em>好 吗</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen qù nǐjiā, <em>hǎo ma</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Let's go to your place, OK?</span> |
| − | * | + | * 不要 告诉 他， <em>好 吗</em> ？ <span class="pinyin"> Bú yào gàosù tā, <em>hǎo ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Don't tell him, Ok?</span> |
| − | * | + | * 我 现在 想 去 洗手间， <em>可以 吗</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiànzài xiǎng qù xǐshǒujiān, <em>kěyǐ ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">I want to go to the bathroom now.Is it OK?</span> |
| − | * | + | * 妈妈，我 要 吃 巧克力 ， <em>可以 吗</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Māma, wǒ yào chī qiǎokèlì, <em>kěyǐ ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Mom, I want to eat chocolate, may I?</span> |
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Revision as of 08:09, 21 September 2015
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Keywords
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 negatively with "isn't it?"
The easiest way to do this in Chinese is to add some kind of confirmation word and 吗 (ma) on the end of the sentence.
Structure
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 / 对 / 是 / 可以 + 吗？
By placing these on the end of a sentence, you can soften a suggestion or request confirmation.
Examples
- 这样 做，对 吗 ？ Like this, right?
- 你们 见过，对 吗 ？ You’ve met, right?
- 他们 昨天 都 没 去， 是 吗 ？ None of them went, right?
- 你 没 来 过， 是 吗 ？ You haven't been here, right?
- 你 喜欢 我妹妹， 是 吗 ？ You like my younger sister, don't you?
- 今天 我们 都 不 喝 酒， 好 吗 ？ Let's all not drink alcohol, OK?
- 我们 去 你家， 好 吗 ？ Let's go to your place, OK?
- 不要 告诉 他， 好 吗 ？ Don't tell him, Ok?
- 我 现在 想 去 洗手间， 可以 吗 ？I want to go to the bathroom now.Is it OK?
- 妈妈，我 要 吃 巧克力 ， 可以 吗 ？ Mom, I want to eat chocolate, may I?
See also
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
