Chinese grammar / 16 topics
Questions in Chinese grammar
Learn Chinese questions through sentence patterns, rewritten explanations, pinyin and English examples. Browse 16 grammar topics.
呢 ne
Ask “what about…?” with 呢
Keep a conversation moving without repeating the whole question. Use a short follow-up when the missing meaning is already clear.
去不去 qù bu qù
Ask a yes–no question with A-not-A
Offer the positive and negative forms of an action instead of adding 吗.
什么 · 谁 · 哪儿 shénme · shéi · nǎr
Keep question words in the answer’s place
Ask for a missing person, thing, or place without rebuilding the whole sentence. Replace the information you want with a question word.
吗 ma
Ask a yes–no question with 吗
Keep the statement in its usual order and add 吗. It is a simple way to ask whether something is true.
对不对、是不是、好不好 duì bu duì shì bu shì hǎo bu hǎo
Chinese Tag Questions with 对不对、是不是 and 好不好
Ask for confirmation or agreement with Chinese A-not-A tags, choosing 对不对、是不是 or 好不好 to match the purpose of the question.
是吗、对吗、好吗 shì ma duì ma hǎo ma
Chinese Tag Questions with 是吗、对吗 and 好吗
Use sentence-final 是吗、对吗 or 好吗 to confirm information, check correctness, or ask someone to accept a proposal in Mandarin.
几、多少 jǐ duōshao
Asking How Many with 几 and 多少 in Chinese
Ask Chinese quantity questions with 几 plus a classifier, compare the broader use of 多少, and keep the question phrase in the quantity's position.
怎么样 zěnmeyàng
Asking How Something Is with 怎么样 (Zěnmeyàng)
Ask about conditions, experiences, or opinions with 怎么样, including the fuller 你觉得……怎么样 pattern for requesting an evaluation.
怎么 zěnme
Asking How Come with 怎么 (Zěnme)
Use 怎么 to ask why something unexpected is true, including negative actions and adjective phrases that convey surprise or disagreement.
了吗 le ma
Asking Have You Done It with 了吗 (Le Ma)
Form Chinese yes or no questions about an accomplished action or changed situation with 了 before 吗, and use topic-first order where appropriate.
吗 ma
吗 with Question Words: Embedded Questions in Chinese
See why 吗 can appear with 什么, 谁, or 哪里 when the question word belongs inside a larger yes-no question.
不是…吗 bù shì…ma
Chinese Rhetorical Questions: 不是…吗 and 怎么会
Recognize common rhetorical question patterns used to remind, challenge, or express disbelief rather than request new information.
谁都 shéi dōu
Question Words + 都: Everyone, Everywhere, and Whenever
Use 谁, 哪儿, 什么时候, and other question words with 都 to make inclusive statements rather than ask questions.
哪儿、谁、什么 nǎr, shéi, shénme
Question Words Meaning Some: Somewhere, Someone, and Something
Recognize indefinite uses of 哪儿, 谁, 什么, and 什么时候 when Chinese refers to an unspecified person, place, thing, or time.
难道 nándào
难道 (Nándào): Challenging an Idea with a Rhetorical Question
Use 难道 to question a surprising or doubtful proposition, often with 吗, and infer the speaker’s expected answer.
呢 ne
呢 (Ne) in Questions: Wondering, Weighing Choices, and Tone
Add 呢 to question-word, alternative, and affirmative-negative questions for a reflective or context-sensitive conversational tone.