Everything you need to use questions correctly: the patterns, when to use them, examples with audio, common mistakes and exercises with answers.
Chinese has several ways to ask a question: add 吗 at the end (yes/no), use a question word (什么, 谁, 哪儿, 怎么), or use the A不A pattern. Key patterns: Keep the statement + add 吗 at the end; Question word sits where the answer would go; Repeat the verb with 不 in between.
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Yes/no questions with 吗 | Keep the statement + add 吗 at the end | 你是学生吗？ Are you a student? Unlike English, the word order does not change in a question |
| Questions with question words | S + V + 什么/谁/哪儿/怎么？ Question word sits where the answer would go | 你在哪儿工作？ Where do you work? 什么 = what, 谁 = who, 哪儿 = where, 怎么 = how, 几/多少 = how many |
| A不A questions | S + V不V + O？ Repeat the verb with 不 in between | 你去不去？ Are you going? |
Add 吗 to the end of a statement
Put the question word where the answer would go
Pick the right option, then open the answer to check it.
Options: 了 · 吗 · 把 · 的
吗. 吗 goes at the end to turn a statement into a yes/no question.
Options: 你在哪儿了工作？ · 你在哪儿工作？ · 你工作哪儿？ · 哪儿你工作？
你在哪儿工作？. 在哪儿 goes before the verb to ask about place.
Options: 什么 · 哪儿 · 怎么 · 谁
什么. 什么 = what: What is your name?
Options: 他是谁吗？ · 他是谁？ · 他谁是？ · 是他谁？
他是谁？. 谁 sits where the answer would go: 他是谁？→ 他是老师。
Options: 了 · 吗 · 呢 · 的
吗. Add 吗 to the end of a statement to make a yes/no question.
Options: 了 · 吗 · 呢 · 的
呢. 呢 asks "and you?" back: I am fine, and you?
Options: 什么 · 几 · 哪儿 · 谁
几. 几 asks about a small number and goes before a measure word: How many people are in your family?
Options: 什么 · 几 · 多少 · 谁
多少. Prices are asked with 多少钱: How much is this apple?
Options: 不 · 了 · 吗 · 的
不. An affirmative-negative question has the form V + 不 + V: Do you drink coffee?
Options: 什么 · 几 · 哪儿 · 谁
谁. 谁 asks about a person: Who is on the phone?
Options: 什么 · 几 · 哪儿 · 谁
哪儿. 在哪儿 asks about place: Where is your book?
Options: 什么 · 几 · 哪儿 · 谁
什么. 什么时候 = when: When are you going to the shop?
Options: 你吗是中国人？ · 你是不是中国人吗？ · 你是中国人吗？ · 是你中国人吗？
你是中国人吗？. 吗 goes at the end of the statement, with no inversion and never together with 是不是: Are you Chinese?
Options: 什么 · 哪儿 · 怎么样 · 谁
怎么样. 怎么样 asks how something is: How is the weather today?
Options: 什么 · 哪儿 · 怎么 · 谁
怎么. 怎么 + verb asks how to do something: How do you read this character?
Options: 呢我的书？ · 我的书什么？ · 我的书吗？ · 我的书呢？
我的书呢？. Noun + 呢 asks where that thing is: Where is my book?
Options: 吗 · 和 · 或者 · 还是
还是. Choice questions use 还是; 或者 is only for statements: Are you a teacher or a student?
Options: 什么 · 几 · 哪儿 · 谁
什么. 什么 + noun = what kind of: What color do you like?
Options: 你不忙忙？ · 你很忙不忙？ · 你忙不忙吗？ · 你忙不忙？
你忙不忙？. An A不A question takes neither 吗 nor 很: Are you busy?
Options: 什么 · 几 · 哪 · 谁
哪. Nationality is asked with 哪国人: Which country are you from?
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