Lessons 13, 15: How to ask questions (3): Affirmative-negative questions

Put the affirmative and negative forms side by side to form a question: 是不是, 去不去, 忙不忙, 有没有.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 1 · Lesson 13 · Hanyu 1 · Lesson 15

你忙不忙？

Nǐ máng bu máng?

Are you busy?

Explanation

Placing the affirmative and negative forms of the main element of the predicate side by side forms an affirmative-negative question.

The affirmative-negative part can go before the object (你去不去银行？), or 不 + verb can go after the object (你去银行不去？). With adjectives: 你忙不忙？ With 有: A + 有没有 + B ？

Answers in the textbook: 是。/不是。 · 去。/不去。 · 很忙。/不忙。

Structure

1
SsubjectVverb不VverbOobjectoptional
Affirmative + negative of the main element of the predicate; 不 + V can go after the object.
- 他是不是老师？
  Tā shì bu shì lǎoshī?
  Is he a teacher?
- 他是老师不是？
  Tā shì lǎoshī bu shì?
  Is he a teacher or not?
- 你去不去银行？
  Nǐ qù bu qù yínháng?
  Are you going to the bank?
- 你去银行不去？
  Nǐ qù yínháng bu qù?
  Are you going to the bank or not?
- 你要不要茶？
  Nǐ yào bu yào chá?
  Do you want some tea?
- 她喝鸡蛋汤不喝？
  Tā hē jīdàn tāng bu hē?
  Does she drink egg soup?
- 你买光盘不买？
  Nǐ mǎi guāngpán bu mǎi?
  Are you buying CDs?
2
Ssubjecthình dung từ不hình dung từ
Used with adjectives.
- 你忙不忙？
  Nǐ máng bu máng?
  Are you busy?
- 你的手机新不新？
  Nǐ de shǒujī xīn bu xīn?
  Is your phone new?
- 你的箱子重不重？
  Nǐ de xiāngzi zhòng bu zhòng?
  Is your suitcase heavy?
3
A有没有B ？
The affirmative-negative question form of 有 sentences (Lesson 15).
- 你有没有手机？
  Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu shǒujī?
  Do you have a phone?
- 你有没有姐姐？
  Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu jiějie?
  Do you have an older sister?

Usage notes

Ask using the affirmative + negative of the main element of the predicate: 是不是, 去不去, 忙不忙, 有没有.
The affirmative-negative part can go before the object (你去不去银行？) or 不 + verb can go after the object (你去银行不去？).

Practice

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