LEARN + CHINESE / 8 of 300 HSK 1
Three Ways to Ask 吗
You’re trying to find a classroom, so you ask where it is; then you check whether your friend wants tea or coffee. Chinese questions keep the missing information in its usual place: 哪儿 asks for the place, while 还是 offers a choice. Add 吗 when you simply want a yes or no.
Examples
你是老师吗？
Nǐ shì lǎoshī ma?
Are you a teacher?
你要几杯茶？
Nǐ yào jǐ bēi chá?
How many cups of tea do you want?
你怎么去学校？
Nǐ zěnme qù xuéxiào?
How do you get to school?
你喝水还是茶？
Nǐ hē shuǐ háishi chá?
Would you like water or tea?
Hint · 힌트
Do not combine 吗 with a question word or 还是 in the same basic question. The question word stays in the place of the answer.
Vocabulary
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
ma | yes/no question particle |
shéi | who |
shénme | what |
nǎr | where |
nǎlǐ | where |
nǎge | which one |
zěnme | how |
jǐ | how many; what number |
duōshao | how many; how much |
háishi | or (in a question) |
lǎoshī | teacher |
xuéshēng | student |
chá | tea |
bēi | cup; glass measure word |
xuéxiào | school |
zuò chē | to travel by vehicle |
zǒulù | to walk |
hē | to drink |
shuǐ | water |
kāfēi | coffee |
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