Grammar word ‘吗’: The the question indicator in Chinese

1. Function and Usage

Forming Yes-No Questions: The primary function of “吗” is to turn a declarative sentence into a yes-no question. It is added at the end of a statement to seek confirmation or ask for information about the truth of the statement. For example:

• • 你是学生。 (Nǐ shì xué shēng.) – You are a student.
  • 你是学生吗？ (Nǐ shì xué shēng ma?) – Are you a student

Expressing Doubt or Inquiry: It can also be used to express a sense of doubt or mild inquiry. For instance, if you see someone doing something and you’re not sure if it’s allowed or appropriate, you might ask:

• • • 这样做可以吗？ (Zhè yàng zuò kě yǐ ma?) – Is it okay to do it like this?

2. Sentence Structure

When using “吗” to form a question, the general structure is: Declarative Sentence + 吗. That means you first have a normal statement expressing a fact or situation, and then simply add “吗” at the end to make it a question. For example:

• • 他明天來。 (Tā míng tiān lái.) – He will come tomorrow.
  • 他明天來吗？ (Tā míng tiān lái ma?) – Will he come tomorrow?

3. Comparison with English

In English, the function of “吗 is somewhat similar to using the auxiliary verbs “do”, “does”, “is”, “are” etc. to form questions, but the way it’s used is much simpler. In English, you often need to change the word order or add auxiliary verbs to form a question, while in Chinese, you just add “吗” to the end of the declarative sentence. For example:

• • You like apples. (Declarative)
  • Do you like apples? (Question formed by adding auxiliary verb “do”)
  • 你喜欢苹果。 (Nǐ xǐ huān píng guǒ.) (Declarative)
  • 你喜欢苹果吗？ (Nǐ xǐ huān píng guǒ ma?) (Question formed by adding “吗”)