HSK 1 grammar · new HSK syllabus
吗: yes/no questions
Add 吗 to the end of a statement to make a yes/no question.
Structure
- Statement + 吗？
How it works
To ask a yes/no question, take a statement and add 吗 at the end. The word order doesn’t change.
To answer, repeat the verb or adjective: 你是老师吗？— 是。/ 不是。 Chinese doesn’t have one word for “yes”.
Don’t use 吗 together with a question word such as 什么 or 哪儿; the question word already makes it a question.
Examples
-
你是中国人吗？
Nǐ shì Zhōngguó rén ma?
Are you Chinese?
-
你喜欢喝茶吗？
Nǐ xǐhuan hē chá ma?
Do you like tea?
-
他在家吗？
Tā zài jiā ma?
Is he at home?
-
这个贵吗？
Zhège guì ma?
Is this expensive?
-
你明天去学校吗？
Nǐ míngtiān qù xuéxiào ma?
Are you going to school tomorrow?
Words in these examples (16)
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 是 | shì | to be (am, is, are); yes | HSK 1 |
| 中国 | Zhōngguó | China | HSK 1 |
| 人 | rén | person; people | HSK 1 |
| 吗 | ma | (question particle for yes/no questions) | HSK 1 |
| 喜欢 | xǐhuan | to like | HSK 1 |
| 喝 | hē | to drink | HSK 1 |
| 茶 | chá | tea | HSK 1 |
| 他 | tā | he; him | HSK 1 |
| 在 | zài | to be at; at; in; (before a verb) in the middle of doing | HSK 1 |
| 家 | jiā | home; family; (measure word for shops and companies) | HSK 1 |
| 这个 | zhège | this one | HSK 1 |
| 贵 | guì | expensive | HSK 1 |
| 明天 | míngtiān | tomorrow | HSK 1 |
| 去 | qù | to go | HSK 1 |
| 学校 | xuéxiào | school | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
-
✗你叫什么名字吗？
✓你叫什么名字？
A question with 什么 doesn’t need 吗.
-
✗是你学生吗？
✓你是学生吗？
Keep statement word order; just add 吗.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 你会说汉语 ？
2. 你去哪儿
3. — 你是学生吗？—