Difference between revisions of "Tag questions with "ma""

m (Text replacement - "hē jiǔ" to "hējiǔ")
m (Text replacement - "喝 酒" to "喝酒")
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* 我们 去 你 家 , <em>好 吗</em> ? <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen qù nǐ jiā, <em>hǎo ma</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Let's go to your place, OK?</span>
 
* 我们 去 你 家 , <em>好 吗</em> ? <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen qù nǐ jiā, <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"> Bùyào gàosù tā, <em>hǎo ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Don't tell him, OK?</span>
 
* 不要 告诉 他 , <em>好 吗</em> ? <span class="pinyin"> Bùyào gàosù tā, <em>hǎo ma</em>?</span><span class="trans">Don't tell him, OK?</span>
* 今天 我们 都 不 喝 酒, <em>好 吗</em> ? <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǒmen dōu bù hējiǔ​, <em>hǎo ma</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Let's all not drink alcohol today, OK?</span>
+
* 今天 我们 都 不 喝酒, <em>好 吗</em> ? <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǒmen dōu bù hējiǔ​, <em>hǎo ma</em>?</span> <span class="trans">Let's all not drink alcohol today, 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 that 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 that 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>
 
* 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>

Revision as of 07:42, 14 February 2017

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Zhèyàng zuò, duì ma?Do it like this, right?
  • 你们 见 过,对 吗Nǐmen jiàn guo, duì ma?You’ve met, right?
  • 他们 昨天 都 没 去, 是 吗Tāmen zuótiān dōu méi qù, shì ma? None of them went yesterday, right?
  • 你 没 来 过, 是 吗Nǐ méi lái guo, shì ma?You haven't been here, right?
  • 你 喜欢 我妹妹, 是 吗Nǐ xǐhuan wǒ mèimei, shì ma? You like my younger sister, huh?
  • 我们 去 你 家 , 好 吗Wǒmen qù nǐ jiā, hǎo ma? Let's go to your place, OK?
  • 不要 告诉 他 , 好 吗 Bùyào gàosù tā, hǎo ma?Don't tell him, OK?
  • 今天 我们 都 不 喝酒, 好 吗Jīntiān wǒmen dōu bù hējiǔ​, hǎo ma? Let's all not drink alcohol today, OK?
  • 我 现在 想 去 洗手间, 可以 吗Wǒ xiànzài xiǎng qù xǐshǒujiān, kěyǐ ma?I want to go to the bathroom now. Is that OK?
  • 妈妈,我 要 吃 巧克力 , 可以 吗Māma, wǒ yào chī qiǎokèlì, kěyǐ ma?Mom, I want to eat chocolate. May I?

See also

Sources and Further Reading