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System",null,{"type":44,"value":45,"toc":616},"minimark",[46,51,55,91,94,98,101,129,132,135,139,142,163,166,169,173,176,217,220,224,455,458,478,482,485,490,493,513,517,537,540,544,571,575,607],[47,48,50],"h2",{"id":49},"type-1-吗-ma-for-yesno-questions","Type 1: 吗 (ma) for yes\u002Fno questions",[52,53,54],"p",{},"Take any statement, append 吗 to the end, you have a yes\u002Fno question.",[56,57,58,62,70,73,79,85],"ul",{},[59,60,61],"li",{},"你好。 (Nǐ hǎo.) - You are well.",[59,63,64,65,69],{},"你好",[66,67,68],"strong",{},"吗","？ (Nǐ hǎo ma?) - Are you well?",[59,71,72],{},"他是英国人。 (Tā shì yīng guó rén.) - He is English.",[59,74,75,76,78],{},"他是英国人",[66,77,68],{},"？ (Tā shì yīng guó rén ma?) - Is he English?",[59,80,81,82,84],{},"你喜欢咖啡",[66,83,68],{},"？ (Nǐ xǐ huan kā fēi ma?) - Do you like coffee?",[59,86,87,88,90],{},"你要去",[66,89,68],{},"？ (Nǐ yào qù ma?) - Do you want to go?",[52,92,93],{},"吗 is neutral tone. No change to the rest of the sentence.",[47,95,97],{"id":96},"type-2-v-not-v-choice-questions","Type 2: V-not-V (choice questions)",[52,99,100],{},"Pose a yes\u002Fno question by repeating the verb in positive-then-negative form.",[56,102,103,110,116,122],{},[59,104,105,106,109],{},"你",[66,107,108],{},"是不是","英国人？ (Nǐ shì bú shì yīng guó rén?) - Are you English (or not)?",[59,111,105,112,115],{},[66,113,114],{},"吃不吃","肉？ (Nǐ chī bù chī ròu?) - Do you eat meat?",[59,117,105,118,121],{},[66,119,120],{},"喜欢不喜欢","咖啡？ (Nǐ xǐ huan bù xǐ huan kā fēi?) - Do you like coffee?",[59,123,124,125,128],{},"他",[66,126,127],{},"会不会","说中文？ (Tā huì bú huì shuō zhōng wén?) - Can he speak Chinese?",[52,130,131],{},"V-not-V is functionally identical to 吗 but slightly more direct. Several common fixed forms ARE V-not-V: 是不是 (is it or not), 好不好 (is it good or not), 对不对 (is it right or not), 有没有 (is there or not). These attach to the end of sentences as tags meaning roughly 'right?': 这是你的, 是不是？",[52,133,134],{},"For two-syllable verbs, you can shorten the first repetition: 喜不喜欢 (instead of 喜欢不喜欢), 知不知道 (knows or not). Both forms work.",[47,136,138],{"id":137},"type-3-还是-hái-shì-for-a-or-b-alternatives","Type 3: 还是 (hái shì) for 'A or B' alternatives",[52,140,141],{},"When the question offers a choice between two options, use 还是 between them.",[56,143,144,151,157],{},[59,145,146,147,150],{},"你喝茶",[66,148,149],{},"还是","喝咖啡？ (Nǐ hē chá hái shì hē kā fēi?) - Do you drink tea or coffee?",[59,152,153,154,156],{},"你是英国人",[66,155,149],{},"美国人？ (Nǐ shì yīng guó rén hái shì měi guó rén?) - Are you English or American?",[59,158,159,160,162],{},"我们今天去",[66,161,149],{},"明天去？ (Wǒ men jīn tiān qù hái shì míng tiān qù?) - Are we going today or tomorrow?",[52,164,165],{},"Don't add 吗 to a 还是 question. The structure is already a question by itself.",[52,167,168],{},"Compare 还是 (alternative question, 'is it A or B?') with 或者 (huò zhě, 'A or B', in statements): 我喝茶或者咖啡 (I'll drink tea or coffee, whichever).",[47,170,172],{"id":171},"type-4-wh-questions-in-situ","Type 4: wh-questions (in-situ)",[52,174,175],{},"The single most counterintuitive feature for English speakers. The question word sits in the position the answer would occupy. No fronting.",[56,177,178,185,192,199,205,211],{},[59,179,180,181,184],{},"你叫",[66,182,183],{},"什么","名字？ (Nǐ jiào shén me míng zi?) - What's your name? (Lit: You are called what name?)",[59,186,187,188,191],{},"这是",[66,189,190],{},"谁","？ (Zhè shì shéi?) - Who is this?",[59,193,194,195,198],{},"你去",[66,196,197],{},"哪儿","？ (Nǐ qù nǎr?) - Where are you going? (Lit: You go where?)",[59,200,105,201,204],{},[66,202,203],{},"为什么","学中文？ (Nǐ wèi shén me xué zhōng wén?) - Why are you learning Chinese?",[59,206,105,207,210],{},[66,208,209],{},"怎么","去？ (Nǐ zěn me qù?) - How are you going? (by what means)",[59,212,105,213,216],{},[66,214,215],{},"怎么样","？ (Nǐ zěn me yàng?) - How are you? (general state)",[52,218,219],{},"The rule: replace the unknown information with the question word, leave everything else alone. English does the opposite - fronts the question word, adds 'do\u002Fdoes\u002Fdid', inverts the subject. Mandarin does none of that.",[47,221,223],{"id":222},"the-full-wh-word-inventory","The full wh-word inventory",[225,226,227,246],"table",{},[228,229,230],"thead",{},[231,232,233,237,240,243],"tr",{},[234,235,236],"th",{},"Question word",[234,238,239],{},"Pinyin",[234,241,242],{},"Meaning",[234,244,245],{},"Example",[247,248,249,263,276,290,303,316,329,343,357,371,385,399,413,427,441],"tbody",{},[231,250,251,254,257,260],{},[252,253,183],"td",{},[252,255,256],{},"shén me",[252,258,259],{},"what",[252,261,262],{},"你吃什么？ - What are you eating?",[231,264,265,267,270,273],{},[252,266,190],{},[252,268,269],{},"shéi (or shuí)",[252,271,272],{},"who",[252,274,275],{},"他是谁？ - Who is he?",[231,277,278,281,284,287],{},[252,279,280],{},"哪儿 \u002F 哪里",[252,282,283],{},"nǎr \u002F nǎ li",[252,285,286],{},"where",[252,288,289],{},"你去哪儿？ - Where are you going?",[231,291,292,294,297,300],{},[252,293,203],{},[252,295,296],{},"wèi shén me",[252,298,299],{},"why",[252,301,302],{},"你为什么哭？ - Why are you crying?",[231,304,305,307,310,313],{},[252,306,209],{},[252,308,309],{},"zěn me",[252,311,312],{},"how (manner) \u002F why (reproach)",[252,314,315],{},"怎么去？ - How to go?",[231,317,318,320,323,326],{},[252,319,215],{},[252,321,322],{},"zěn me yàng",[252,324,325],{},"how (general state)",[252,327,328],{},"怎么样？ - How is it?",[231,330,331,334,337,340],{},[252,332,333],{},"几",[252,335,336],{},"jǐ",[252,338,339],{},"how many (small number, ≤ ~10)",[252,341,342],{},"几个人？ - How many people?",[231,344,345,348,351,354],{},[252,346,347],{},"多少",[252,349,350],{},"duō shǎo",[252,352,353],{},"how many \u002F how much (any size)",[252,355,356],{},"多少钱？ - How much money?",[231,358,359,362,365,368],{},[252,360,361],{},"哪个",[252,363,364],{},"nǎ ge",[252,366,367],{},"which (one)",[252,369,370],{},"哪个好？ - Which one is good?",[231,372,373,376,379,382],{},[252,374,375],{},"什么时候",[252,377,378],{},"shén me shí hou",[252,380,381],{},"when",[252,383,384],{},"你什么时候去？ - When are you going?",[231,386,387,390,393,396],{},[252,388,389],{},"多大",[252,391,392],{},"duō dà",[252,394,395],{},"how old \u002F how big",[252,397,398],{},"你多大？ - How old are you?",[231,400,401,404,407,410],{},[252,402,403],{},"几岁",[252,405,406],{},"jǐ suì",[252,408,409],{},"how old (for children, \u003C ~10)",[252,411,412],{},"你几岁？ - How old are you?",[231,414,415,418,421,424],{},[252,416,417],{},"多远",[252,419,420],{},"duō yuǎn",[252,422,423],{},"how far",[252,425,426],{},"多远？ - How far?",[231,428,429,432,435,438],{},[252,430,431],{},"多长时间",[252,433,434],{},"duō cháng shí jiān",[252,436,437],{},"how long (duration)",[252,439,440],{},"多长时间？ - How long?",[231,442,443,446,449,452],{},[252,444,445],{},"多久",[252,447,448],{},"duō jiǔ",[252,450,451],{},"how long (more informal)",[252,453,454],{},"多久？ - How long?",[52,456,457],{},"A few worth flagging:",[56,459,460,466,472],{},[59,461,462,465],{},[66,463,464],{},"几 vs 多少",". 几 expects a small answer (usually under ten) and ALWAYS takes a classifier: 几个人 (how many people), 几本书 (how many books). 多少 takes any size of answer and the classifier is optional: 多少人, 多少钱.",[59,467,468,471],{},[66,469,470],{},"怎么 vs 怎么样",". 怎么 + verb asks how (by what means). 怎么样 by itself asks 'how is it' \u002F 'what's it like'.",[59,473,474,477],{},[66,475,476],{},"几岁 vs 多大",". 几岁 for small children. 多大 for everyone else (or for general size: 房子多大).",[47,479,481],{"id":480},"tag-particles-呢-ne-and-吧-ba","Tag particles: 呢 (ne) and 吧 (ba)",[52,483,484],{},"Two sentence-final particles that turn statements into softer questions.",[486,487,489],"h3",{"id":488},"呢-ne-and-how-about-x","呢 (ne): 'and how about X?'",[52,491,492],{},"Used to bounce a question back, or to ask 'what about X?'",[56,494,495,502,508],{},[59,496,497,498,501],{},"我很好, 你",[66,499,500],{},"呢","？ (Wǒ hěn hǎo, nǐ ne?) - I'm fine, and you?",[59,503,504,505,507],{},"我吃面条, 你",[66,506,500],{},"？ (Wǒ chī miàn tiáo, nǐ ne?) - I'm having noodles, what about you?",[59,509,124,510,512],{},[66,511,500],{},"？ (Tā ne?) - And what about him? \u002F Where is he?",[486,514,516],{"id":515},"吧-ba-tag-suggestion-softened-assertion","吧 (ba): tag suggestion \u002F softened assertion",[56,518,519,525,531],{},[59,520,153,521,524],{},[66,522,523],{},"吧","？ (Nǐ shì yīng guó rén ba?) - You're English, right? (I'm fairly sure)",[59,526,527,528,530],{},"我们走",[66,529,523],{},"？ (Wǒ men zǒu ba?) - Shall we go? \u002F Let's go.",[59,532,533,534,536],{},"好",[66,535,523],{},"。 (Hǎo ba.) - Alright then.",[52,538,539],{},"吧 invites confirmation rather than asking from zero. It's the closest Mandarin gets to a tag question like English '..., right?' or '..., shall we?'.",[47,541,543],{"id":542},"what-not-to-do","What NOT to do",[545,546,547,553,559,565],"ol",{},[59,548,549,552],{},[66,550,551],{},"Don't add 吗 to a wh-question."," 你叫什么 already is a question. 你叫什么吗 is wrong.",[59,554,555,558],{},[66,556,557],{},"Don't add 吗 to a 还是 question."," Same reason.",[59,560,561,564],{},[66,562,563],{},"Don't front the question word."," 你吃什么 (correct), NOT 什么你吃.",[59,566,567,570],{},[66,568,569],{},"Don't double up V-not-V and 吗."," Choose one.",[47,572,574],{"id":573},"what-to-internalise","What to internalise",[545,576,577,583,589,595,601],{},[59,578,579,582],{},[66,580,581],{},"吗 turns any statement into a yes\u002Fno question."," The default.",[59,584,585,588],{},[66,586,587],{},"V-not-V is identical in meaning, slightly more direct."," 是不是, 好不好, 对不对 are fixed tags.",[59,590,591,594],{},[66,592,593],{},"还是 is for explicit A-or-B alternatives."," No 吗 needed.",[59,596,597,600],{},[66,598,599],{},"Wh-words stay in situ."," Replace the unknown, change nothing else.",[59,602,603,606],{},[66,604,605],{},"呢 bounces a question back; 吧 softens an assertion to a confirmation."," Useful for natural-sounding conversation.",[52,608,609,610,615],{},"For the wider syntactic picture of how questions sit alongside the other Mandarin structures, see the ",[611,612,614],"a",{"href":613},"\u002Fmandarin\u002Fgrammar\u002Fword-order","word-order page",".",{"title":617,"searchDepth":618,"depth":618,"links":619},"",2,[620,621,622,623,624,625,630,631],{"id":49,"depth":618,"text":50},{"id":96,"depth":618,"text":97},{"id":137,"depth":618,"text":138},{"id":171,"depth":618,"text":172},{"id":222,"depth":618,"text":223},{"id":480,"depth":618,"text":481,"children":626},[627,629],{"id":488,"depth":628,"text":489},3,{"id":515,"depth":628,"text":516},{"id":542,"depth":618,"text":543},{"id":573,"depth":618,"text":574},"A1-A2","How to ask questions in Mandarin. Yes\u002Fno with 吗, choice questions with V不V and 还是, the full wh-word inventory (什么, 谁, 哪儿, 为什么, 怎么, 几, 多少, 多大), and tag particles 呢\u002F吧.","md","foundation","Mandarin questions don't invert. They don't add 'do' \u002F 'does' \u002F 'did'. They don't move the question word to the front. They keep the statement's word order intact and either bolt a particle on the end or substitute a question word in the position the answer would go. This makes Mandarin question formation easier than English, once you stop expecting the syntactic rearrangement. This page covers all four question types and the tag particles.","mandarin",{},"\u002Fmandarin\u002Fgrammar\u002Fquestion-words",{"title":41,"description":633},"mandarin\u002Fgrammar\u002Fquestion-words","TjIkTzltynDwEGdWmUqzYEDsHJBM2HwQlrmbJS_wmEc",[],{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":645},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M12 15V3m9 12v4a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H5a2 2 0 0 1-2-2v-4\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"m7 10l5 5l5-5\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":647},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M13 21h8M15 5l4 4m2.174-2.188a1 1 0 0 0-3.986-3.987L3.842 16.174a2 2 0 0 0-.5.83l-1.321 4.352a.5.5 0 0 0 .623.622l4.353-1.32a2 2 0 0 0 .83-.497z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":649},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Crect width=\"18\" height=\"18\" x=\"3\" y=\"3\" rx=\"2\" ry=\"2\"\u002F>\u003Ccircle cx=\"9\" cy=\"9\" r=\"2\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"m21 15l-3.086-3.086a2 2 0 0 0-2.828 0L6 21\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":651},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M6 22a2 2 0 0 1-2-2V4a2 2 0 0 1 2-2h8a2.4 2.4 0 0 1 1.704.706l3.588 3.588A2.4 2.4 0 0 1 20 8v12a2 2 0 0 1-2 2z\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M14 2v5a1 1 0 0 0 1 1h5M10 9H8m8 4H8m8 4H8\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",1781531945776]