01 / READExamples
Highlighted words show the grammar pattern. Reveal the English translation when needed.
周末你去不去书店？
Are you going to the bookshop this weekend?
去不去 offers going and not going as the two possibilities.
这家旅馆贵不贵？
Is this hotel expensive?
An adjective can also form the positive–negative pair.
你有没有蓝色的笔？
Do you have a blue pen?
Use 有没有 when the underlying statement contains 有.
02 / UNDERSTANDHow it works
Sentence pattern
Repeat a verb with 不 between the two copies to make a yes–no question. The listener can choose the positive form or the negative form in the answer. The same construction works with many adjectives, such as 贵不贵 for asking whether something is expensive.
The question normally ends without 吗: the positive–negative pair already makes it a question. For 有, use 有没有 rather than 有不有. Keep the rest of the sentence in its usual position; a time expression can still come before the verb.
COMMON MISTAKESWhat to watch for
Avoid你去不去图书馆吗？
Use你去不去图书馆？
Choose either 去不去 or a statement followed by 吗. Combining both question patterns is unnecessary here.
03 / PRACTISECheck your understanding
04 / VOCABULARYLesson vocabulary
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning here |
|---|---|---|
| 周末 | zhōumò | weekend |
| 书店 | shūdiàn | bookshop |
| 旅馆 | lǚguǎn | hotel |
Choose a Chinese word for dictionary definitions, examples and stroke order. The meanings above are specific to this lesson.
What is in the download?
The TSV contains Chinese words, pinyin and meanings. Import instructions are below.
Written for this website. Levels indicate difficulty, not official HSK placement. The app covers this topic with different wording and exercises.
