Lesson 11 - Asking Questions

A sentence and a question actually only differs by a little in its structure.

For example, 'You are Alan' and 'Are you Alan?' only differs by a little, although one is a declarative sentence, while the latter is a question.

Same goes for Chinese, only very little changes.

For ‘是’ (shi4) sentences, simply add a '吗' (ma1) behind to make it a question.

For example,

1. 你 是 医生 吗？(ni3 shi4 yi1 sheng1 ma1) - Are you a doctor?
2. 他 是 老师 吗？(ta1 shi4 lao3 shi1 ma1) - Is he a teacher?
3. 这只 猫 是 他的 吗？(zhe4 zhi1 mao1 shi4 ta1 de4 ma1) - Is this cat his?
4. 今天 是 星期六 吗？(jin1 tian1 shi4 xing1 qi1 liu4 ma1) - Is today Saturday?

For continual verbs or position sentences, with '在‘ (zai4), simply add a '吗' (ma1) behind to make it a question.

For example,

1. 他 在吃 饭 吗？(ta1 zai4 chi1 fan4 ma1) - Is he eating rice?
2. 现在 你 在玩 电脑游戏 吗？(xian4 zai4 ni3 zai4 wan2 dian4 nao3 you2 xi4 ma1) - Are you playing computer games now?
3. 他们 在 学校 吗？(ta1 men2 zai4 xue2 xiao4 ma1) - Are they at school?
4. 那只 狗 在 椅子上 吗？ (na4 zhi1 gou3 zai4 zhuo1 zi3 shang4 ma1) - Is that dog on the chair?

For sentences that show possession with the word '有' (you3), simply add a '吗' (ma1) behind to make it a question.

For example,

1. 你 有 鱼 吗？(ni3 you3 yu2 ma1) - Do you have fish?
2. 她 有 三件 裙子 吗？(ta1 you3 san1 jian4 qun2 zi3 ma1) - Does she have three skirts?

For sentences with a normal verb, you can add a 有 (you3) in front of the verb, to emphasise that it was indeed done.

For example,

1. 他 有吃 饭。(ta1 you2 chi1 fan4) - He did eat rice.
2. 我 有去 学校。(wo3 you3 qu4 xue2 xiao4) - I did went to school.

To change a normal verb sentence into a question, first change add a 有 (you3) in front of the verb, then add a '吗' (ma1) behind.

1. 他 有吃 饭 吗？(ta1 you3 chi1 fan4 ma1) - Did he eat rice?
2. 你 有去 日本 吗？(ni3 you3 qu4 ri4 ben3 ma1) - Did you go to Japan?
3. 他们 有搭 公车去 学校 吗？ (ta1 men2 you3 da1 gong1 che1 qu4 xue2 xiao4 ma1) - Did they take the bus to school?

Another way to change a normal verb sentence into a question, is to add 了吗 (le4 ma1) behind.

For example,

1. 他 吃 饭 了吗？(ta1 chi1 fan4 le4 ma1) - Has he eaten rice?
2. 他们 搭 公车去 学校 了吗？(ta1 men2 da1 gong1 che1 qu4 xue2 xiao4 le4 ma1) - Have they taken the bus to school?

Basically, the difference between the two ways, is the nuance of the question. 
The first one emphasise on the object
他 有吃 饭 吗？(ta1 you3 chi1 fan4 ma1) - Did he eat RICE?
While the second one emphasise on the action
他 吃 饭 了吗？(ta1 chi1 fan4 le4 ma1) - Has he EATEN rice?

Here are some new words:

1. 面 (mian4) - noodles
2. 水 (shui3) - water
3. 喝 (he1) - drink
4. 睡觉 (shui4 jiao4) - sleep
5. 床 (chuang2) - bed
6. 名字 (ming2 zi4) - name

And some interrogative words:

1. 什么 (shen2 me4) - what
2. 哪里 (na2 li3) - where
3. 几点 (ji3 dian3) - what time (colloquial and informal)
4. 几时 (ji3 shi2) - when
5. 多少 (duo1 shao3) - how many/much (+ quantifier)
6. 谁 (shei2) - who

When you use these interrogative words, there is no need to attach 吗 behind.
For example,

1. 你 的 名字 是 什么？(ni3 de4 ming2 zi4 shi4 shen2 me4) - What is your name?
2. 他 的 家 在 哪里？(ta1 de4 jia1 zai4 na2 li3) - Where is his home?
3. 你 几点 睡觉？(ni3 ji3 dian3 shui4 jiao4) - What time do you go to sleep?
4. 谁 是 奥巴马？(shei2 shi4 ao4 ba1 ma3) - Who is Obama (ao4 ba1 ma3)?
5. 你 有 多少粒 球？ (ni3 you3 duo1 shao3 li4 qiu2) - How many balls do you have?

 Try to form some questions and answers in the comments below!