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[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)

Similar to

- [Expressing "some" with question words](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22some%22_with_question_words) (B1)

Used for

[Asking questions](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Asking_questions), [Requesting](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Requesting)

Keywords

[吗](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%90%97), [什么](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%BB%80%E4%B9%88), [谁](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E8%B0%81), [哪里](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%93%AA%E9%87%8C)

[![Chinese-grammar-wiki-ma.jpg](Advanced%20yes-no%20questions%20with%20%22ma%22%20-%20Chinese%20Grammar%20Wiki_fichiers/300px-Chinese-grammar-wiki-ma.jpg "fig:Chinese-grammar-wiki-ma.jpg"){width="300" height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-ma.jpg)

The question particle 吗 (ma) is a very simple way to [convert it into a "yes/no question,"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Yes-no_questions_with_%22ma%22) and beginners will learn *not to use 吗 with other question words*, because it's redundant. More advanced students, however, will note that 吗 has some more complicated structures that do involve combining it with question words in order to ask very specific types of confirming questions.

Contents -------- [hide]([# "wikilink")\]

- [1 Structure](#Structure "wikilink") - [2 Examples](#Examples "wikilink") - [3 See also](#See_also "wikilink") - [4 Sources and further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink") - [4.1 Books](#Books "wikilink")

Structure --------------------------------------------------------- You'll remember that this is the simple pattern for yes/no questions:

Statement + 吗？

If you embed a *question that uses a question word* instead of a statement, you can create a more complex kind of "confirming" 吗 (ma) question:

\[Question Word\] + 吗？

Examples of common question words include 什么 (shénme), 谁 (shéi), and 哪里 (nǎlǐ). Examples ------------------------------------------------------- Note that the following examples typically contains some kind of "verb of understanding" such as 知道 (zhīdào),了解 (liǎojiě), 明白 (míngbai), 认识 (rènshi), etc. Then "吗" (ma) can still be added at the end of the question, turning it into a kind of confirmation. For example:

- 这是什么？Zhè shì shénme?What is this? - 你 **知道** 这是什么 *吗*？Nǐ **zhīdào** zhè shì shénme *ma*?Do you know what this is?

- 他是谁？Tā shì shéi?Who is he? - 你 **知道** 他是谁 *吗*？Nǐ **zhīdào** tā shì shéi *ma*?Do you know who he is?

- 他叫什么名字？Tā jiào shénme míngzi?What is his name? - 你 **知道** 他叫什么名字 *吗*？Nǐ **zhīdào** tā jiào shénme míngzi *ma*?Do you know what his name is?

- 她住在哪儿？Tā zhù zài nǎr?Where does she live? - 她 **说过** 她住在哪儿 *吗* ？Tā **shuō guo** tā zhù zài nǎr *ma*?Did she say where she lives?

- 这个标志是什么意思？Zhège biāozhì shì shénme yìsi?What does this sign mean? - 你们 **明白** 这个标志是什么意思 *吗*？Nǐmen **míngbai** zhège biāozhì shì shénme yìsi *ma*?Do you understand what this sign means?

- 我们想要什么？Wǒmen xiǎng yào shénme?What do we want? - 他 **问过** 我们想要什么 *吗*？Tā **wèn guo** wǒmen xiǎng yào shénme *ma*?Did he care to ask what we want?

- 你的问题是什么？Nǐ de wèntí shì shénme?What is your question? - 你能 **再说一遍** 你的问题是什么 *吗* ？Nǐ néng **zài shuō yī biàn** nǐ de wèntí shì shénme *ma*?Can you repeat what your question is?

- 他是什么时候开始学中文的？Tā shì shénme shíhou kāishǐ xué Zhōngwén de?When did he started to learn Chinese? - 你 **知道** 他是什么时候开始学中文的 *吗* ？Nǐ **zhīdào** tā shì shénme shíhou kāishǐ xué Zhōngwén de *ma*?Do you know when he started to learn Chinese?

- 这是在哪儿买的？Zhè shì zài nǎr mǎi de?Where did you buy this? - 你能 **告诉** 我这是在哪儿买的 *吗* ？Nǐ néng **gàosu** wǒ zhè shì zài nǎr mǎi de *ma*?Can I tell me where you bought this?

- 我老板的孩子多大？Wǒ lǎobǎn de háizi duō dà?How old is my boss' child? - 你 **知道** 我老板的孩子多大 *吗*？Nǐ **zhīdào** wǒ lǎobǎn de háizi duō dà *ma*?Do you know how old my boss' child is?

See also ------------------------------------------------------- - [Tag questions with "ma"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Tag_questions_with_%22ma%22) - [Affirmative-negative questions](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_questions) - [Questions with "ne"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Questions_with_%22ne%22) Sources and further reading --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Books - [Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition) (pp. 138-40) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2h67UYa) - [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed)) (pp. 29-30) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2xe9H5W) - [New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC1)) (pp. 21) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2ykX9KF) - [New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC1)(2nd_ed)) (pp. 23, 250) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2ykX9KF) \

[Category](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories): - [B1 grammar points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points)

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