HSK 1 grammar · new HSK syllabus
Verb-not-verb questions: 是不是, 去不去
Say the verb, then 不 + the verb again, to ask a yes/no question: 你去不去？
Structure
- Verb + 不 + verb
- Adjective + 不 + adjective
How it works
Another way to ask a yes/no question is to say the verb or adjective twice with 不 in between: 你忙不忙？ = are you busy?
With 有, use 有没有: 你有没有时间？
Don’t add 吗 to these questions; the 不 form already makes it a question.
Examples
-
你是不是老师？
Nǐ shì bú shì lǎoshī?
Are you a teacher?
-
你明天去不去？
Nǐ míngtiān qù bú qù?
Are you going tomorrow?
-
这个菜好吃不好吃？
Zhège cài hǎochī bù hǎochī?
Is this dish good?
-
你有没有中文书？
Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu Zhōngwén shū?
Do you have any Chinese books?
-
你喜欢不喜欢喝茶？
Nǐ xǐhuan bù xǐhuan hē chá?
Do you like tea?
Words in these examples (16)
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 是 | shì | to be (am, is, are); yes | HSK 1 |
| 不 | bù | not; no | HSK 1 |
| 老师 | lǎoshī | teacher | HSK 1 |
| 明天 | míngtiān | tomorrow | HSK 1 |
| 去 | qù | to go | HSK 1 |
| 这个 | zhège | this one | HSK 1 |
| 菜 | cài | dish (of food); vegetable | HSK 1 |
| 好吃 | hǎochī | tasty; delicious | HSK 1 |
| 有 | yǒu | to have; there is | HSK 1 |
| 没有 | méiyǒu | not have; there isn't; did not | HSK 1 |
| 中文 | Zhōngwén | Chinese (language) | HSK 1 |
| 书 | shū | book | HSK 1 |
| 喜欢 | xǐhuan | to like | HSK 1 |
| 喝 | hē | to drink | HSK 1 |
| 茶 | chá | tea | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
-
✗你去不去吗？
✓你去不去？
V不V questions don’t take 吗.
-
✗你有不有时间？
✓你有没有时间？
有 is always paired with 没.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 你 学生？
2. 你 手机？
3. 你们忙不忙