疑问语调 · 吧 · 是不是 · 不是……吗 · 是吗
Lessons 20, 26: Ways of forming questions: intonation, 吧, 是不是, 不是……吗
Questions formed with intonation alone, confirmation questions with 吧 and 是不是, the rhetorical question 不是……吗 and the exclamatory 是吗.
Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 2 · Lesson 20 · Hanyu 2 · Lesson 26
你不是要上托福班吗？
Aren't you planning to take the TOEFL class?
Explanation
Ways of asking (6): question intonation. A statement becomes a question just by using question intonation. At the end of the sentence, the voice rises (↑): 你属狗？ 你今年二十岁？ 他也去？
The modal particle "吧" in the sentence "你给我打电话了吧？" expresses a questioning tone.
In affirmative-negative questions with "是不是", "是不是" can come before the predicate, or at the beginning or end of the sentence.
"不是……吗？" is a rhetorical question used to emphasize an affirmative meaning; no answer is needed.
"是吗？" expresses tones such as surprise or delight (Really? Is that so?).
Structure
- Câu kể？ (ngữ điệu nghi vấn)
Just by using question intonation (voice rising at the end), a sentence becomes a question; do not add 吗.
你属狗？
Were you born in the year of the dog?
你今年二十岁？
Are you twenty this year?
他也参加？
Is he taking part too?
他也去？
Is he going too?
- Câu吧？
The modal particle "吧" expresses a questioning tone.
你给我打电话了吧？
You called me, right?
- Ssubject是不是V / 是不是câu / câu是不是？
"是不是" can come before the predicate, or at the beginning or end of the sentence.
A：你是不是想家了？ B：是。我常常想家。
A: Are you homesick? B: Yes. I'm often homesick.
A：你们输了，是不是？ B：是。
A: You lost, right? B: Yes.
不是……吗？
A rhetorical question, used to emphasize an affirmative meaning; no answer is needed.
你不是要上托福班吗？
Aren't you planning to take the TOEFL class?
是吗？
Expresses tones such as surprise or delight: Really? Is that so?
是吗？
Is that so?
Practice
24 questions in 3 sets. One at a time, checked instantly, with explanations.