To ask a yes-no question, keep the same word order as a statement and add 吗 (ma) at the end.
You do not move the verb or add English-style helping words like "do" or "does".
Once you know this, you can turn any statement you already know how to say into a question, without learning any new vocabulary.
Structure
Statement + 吗？
你喜欢茶。 (Nǐ xǐhuan chá.) You like tea. → 你喜欢茶吗？ (Nǐ xǐhuan chá ma?) Do you like tea?
Examples
你是学生吗？ Nǐ shì xuésheng ma?
Breakdown: 你 (you) · 是 (am/is/are) · 学生 (student) · 吗 (question particle)
→ Are you a student?
他是老师吗？ Tā shì lǎoshī ma?
Breakdown: 他 (he) · 是 (am/is/are) · 老师 (teacher) · 吗 (question particle)
→ Is he a teacher?
你忙吗？ Nǐ máng ma?
Breakdown: 你 (you) · 忙 (busy) · 吗 (question particle)
→ Are you busy?
你好吗？ Nǐ hǎo ma?
Breakdown: 你 (you) · 好 (well/good) · 吗 (question particle)
→ How are you? (Are you well?)
你累吗？ Nǐ lèi ma?
Breakdown: 你 (you) · 累 (tired) · 吗 (question particle)
→ Are you tired?
你高兴吗？ Nǐ gāoxìng ma?
Breakdown: 你 (you) · 高兴 (happy) · 吗 (question particle)
→ Are you happy?
你在家吗？ Nǐ zài jiā ma?
Breakdown: 你 (you) · 在 (at/to be located) · 家 (home) · 吗 (question particle)
→ Are you at home?
我可以喝茶吗？ Wǒ kěyǐ hē chá ma?
Breakdown: 我 (I) · 可以 (can/may) · 喝 (drink) · 茶 (tea) · 吗 (question particle)
→ May I drink tea?
我对吗？ Wǒ duì ma?
Breakdown: 我 (I) · 对 (correct/right) · 吗 (question particle)
→ Am I right?
Common Mistakes
Putting 吗 first
- Incorrect: 吗你喜欢茶？ (Ma nǐ xǐhuan chá?) - Correct: 你喜欢茶吗？ (Nǐ xǐhuan chá ma?) — Do you like tea?
Stacking 吗 onto a question that already has a question word
- Incorrect: 你喜欢什么吗？ (Nǐ xǐhuan shénme ma?) - Correct: 你喜欢什么？ (Nǐ xǐhuan shénme?) — What do you like?
English marks every question with a "?" — but 吗 only belongs on yes-no questions. A question word like 什么 already makes the sentence a question, so 吗 never joins it.
What Can You Say Now?
You can now ask a yes-no question about anything you can already say as a fact, just by adding 吗 to the end — 你喜欢茶吗？ (Do you like tea?), 他有水吗？ (Does he have water?). Try it out loud: take a sentence you already know and turn it into a question by adding 吗.
Quick Summary
Keep the statement. Add 吗 at the end.
你喜欢茶吗？ = Do you like tea?
| Word |
|---|
|
吗 - ma (Question particle placed at the end of yes/no questions.) |
|
学生 - xüe2 sheng (Student.) |
|
老师 - lao3 shi1 (Teacher.) |
|
忙 - mang2 (Busy; hurriedly; to rush.) |
|
好 - hao3 (Good; well; OK) |
|
对 - dui4 (Correct, right; toward; facing.) |
|
可以 - ke3 yi3 (Can; may; possible; pretty good.) |
|
累 - lei4 (Tired; to strain oneself.) |
|
高兴 - gao1 xing4 (Happy; glad; willing to do something.) |
|
在 - zai4 (To be at/in a place; also shows an action happening right now.) |