每日中文 Daily ZhongWen

18 common ways to ask a question in Chinese


  • 1. Tag questions
    A tag attached to the sentence can turn a declarative statement to a question. The tag can be an affirmative-negative clause.
  • 2. Question - + 呢? / 吧?
    吧:is used to ask a general question, where the answer is expected or assumed. The speaker can use 呢 to ask the same question about the second subject.
    Final particles always occur in neutral tone.
  • 3. Question - Word order:+吗?/哪儿
    The word order for questions is exactly the same as for a statement, except for tag questions and short form questions with 呢.
  • 4. Question - Affirmative-negative
    An affirmative and negative clause can be used to form a question.
  • 5. Question - 是不是,有没有
    是不是 or 有没有 also can form an Affirmative-negative question. In the case of 有, the negative is 没.
  • 6. Question - +了没有?
    没有 can be used at the end of a question. If the verb is monosyllabic and does not have an object, 了 must be added before 没有.
  • 7. Question - +了?
    The modal particle 了 can be used at the end of a sentence to ask a question.
  • 8. Question - 被 Sentences
    To change a 被 sentence into a question, you can use an affirmative-negative phrase '是否', or use a question particle 吗.
  • 9. Question - Conjunction: 还是 "or"
    The speaker can use 还是, meaning 'or', to ask an alternative question. When more than two options are offered, 还是 is placed between the last 2 options.
  • 10. Rhetorical questions: 难道/不是
    The speaker can use 不是 to invite a positive answer. The rhetorical tone may be further strengthened by using the phrase 难道.
  • 11. Question - Distance:多远 "How far" / Money:多少钱 "How much"
    A speaker can also use 多 to ask various questions. 多少钱 "How much" is for asking a price. 多远 "How far" is for asking the distance.
  • 12. Question - 多少 "How many / How much"
  • 13. Question - 什么"What" / 谁"Who"
  • 14. Question
    什么时候 or 何时, meaning "When", is used to ask questions about time. These question adverbs are placed after the subject and before the verb.
  • 15. Question
    干什么 means "What are you doing", it is a colloquial expression. 怎么样 means "How about".
  • 16. Question
    哪个 is the singular form of  'which'; 哪些 is the plural form of 'which'.
  • 17. Question
    哪儿 and 哪里 mean "Where". 哪儿 is the colloquial expression.
  • 18. Question
    为何 or 为什么 means "Why", 为何 is more formal. 为何不 or 为什么不 means "Why not".