Grammar
Asking Questions
The simplest question is a statement plus the particle 吗 (ma) at the end.
- 你 好。 "You are well." → 你 好 吗? "Are you well?"
- 他 是 学生 吗? "Is he a student?"
For "what / who / where / when", use a question word in the position of the answer — word order does not change:
- 什么 (shénme) — what. 这 是 什么? "What is this?"
- 谁 (shéi/shuí) — who. 他 是 谁? "Who is he?"
- 哪里 (nǎlǐ) — where. 你 在 哪里? "Where are you?"
- 什么 时候 (shénme shíhou) — when.
Choice questions use the verb-not-verb pattern: 你 是 不 是 学生? "Are you a student (or not)?"
Quiz
Pick the best answer for each question. You get feedback right away.
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Which particle turns a statement into a yes/no question?
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什么 means:
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In 你 在 哪里?, where does the question word sit?