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<p>We have seen before that <span class="hanzi">吧</span> can be used to <a href="Softening_speech_with_"ba"" title="wikilink">soften the tone of statements</a>, or <a href="Suggestions_with_ba" title="wikilink">make commands feel more like suggestions</a>. <span class="hanzi">呢</span> works in same way, but it is used to make questions more indirect and uncertain in tone.</p>
<h2 id="呢-used-successively-with-还是"><span style="color: rgb(255, 127, 80); font-family: NotoSansCJKsc; font-size: 30px; font-weight: normal;">呢</span> used successively with <span style="color: rgb(255, 127, 80); font-family: NotoSansCJKsc; font-size: 30px; font-weight: normal;">还是</span></h2>
<p><span style="color: rgb(139, 0, 0); font-family: NotoSansCJKsc; font-size: 22px;">呢</span> can be used successively in questions using <span class="hanzi">还是</span>.</p>
<h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<div class="deux">Option 1 + <span class="hanzist">呢</span> + <span class="hanzist">还是</span> + Option 2 + <span class="hanzist">呢</span>？</div>
</div>
<h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>
<div class="exemple">
<ul>
<li><span class="hanzi">我 去 缅甸 呢，还是 泰国呢？我 得 想 一 想！</span> <span class="trans">Should I go to Myanmar or Thailand? I have to think a bit!</span></li>
<li><span class="hanzi">咱们 打 电脑 游戏 呢，还是 跟 朋友 去 泡 酒吧呢，我 都 可以！</span> <span class="trans">Should we play computer games or go to the bar? I can do either!</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>The example sentences above almost have a tone that the speaker is talking to him/herself, as the question is not directly asked at the listener. A second verb is only necessary if different to the first verb.</p>
<h2 id="呢-with-questions-involving-interrogative-pronouns-哪儿谁怎么什么-etc."><span style="color: rgb(255, 127, 80); font-family: NotoSansCJKsc; font-size: 30px; font-weight: normal;">呢</span> with questions involving interrogative pronouns (<span class="hanzist">哪儿，谁，怎么，什么</span> etc.)</h2>
<h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<div class="deux">⋯⋯Interrogative Pronoun⋯⋯ + <span class="hanzist">呢</span>？</div>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>
<div class="exemple">
<ul>
<li><span class="hanzi">这 是 谁 的 笔呢?</span> <span class="trans">I wonder whose pen this is.</span></li>
<li><span class="hanzi">他 去 哪儿 了 呢？</span> <span class="trans">I wonder where he's going?</span></li>
<li><span class="hanzi">怎么 会呢？</span> <span class="trans">How could that be?</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>In the previous example, the speaker has a tone of conjecture, a bit like saying "<b>I wonder</b>" in English. Again, as in the first example, the question is not directly asked at the listener. Adding <span class="hanzi">呢</span> to <span class="hanzi">怎么会</span> as in the last example sentence can sound a bit feminine; overusing <span class="hanzi">呢</span> can have this result.</p>
<h2 id="呢-with-verb-不-verb-questions"><span style="color: rgb(255, 127, 80); font-family: NotoSansCJKsc; font-size: 30px; font-weight: normal;">呢</span> with "verb <span class="hanzist">不</span> verb" questions</h2>
<p>If a "<b>verb</b> <span class="hanzi">不</span> <b>verb</b>" question is posed without <span class="hanzi">呢</span>, it can appear as though the speaker is a bit impatient, or is ordering the listener to do something. This of course depends on the tone of voice used. Adding <span class="hanzi">呢</span> can give a tone of uncertainty, and is more polite.</p>
<h3 id="structure-2">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<div class="deux">Subj. + Verb 1 + <span class="hanzist">不</span> + Verb 1 + (Verb 2) + <span class="hanzist">呢</span>？</div>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3>
<div class="exemple">
<ul>
<li><span class="hanzi">你 去 不 去 逛街？</span> <span class="vert"> Said as though demanding an answer, potentially in a hurry. </span><span class="trans"> Well are you going to go shopping or what?</span></li>
<li><span class="hanzi">你 去 不 去 逛街呢？</span> <span class="vert"> Less intense, just asking a question. </span><span class="trans"> Are you going to go shopping?</span></li>
<li><span class="hanzi">牛奶 你 喝 不 喝？</span> <span class="vert"> Said to a child, with the implication that if the milk isn't drunk, there will be consequences, with emphasis placed on 喝 </span><span class="trans"> Did you drink the milk or not?</span></li>
<li><span class="vert"><span class="hanzi">牛奶你喝不喝呢？</span> Perhaps said to a friend, with no implication of coercion. Perhaps you want to clear away their cup. </span><span class="trans">id you drink the milk?</span></li>
<li><span class="hanzi">你周末能不能加班？</span> <span class="vert"> Perhaps a manager asking a subordinate. This is not too direct, as 能 has been added. Saying 你加不加班 would seem more like an order</span><span class="trans"> Can you come into work on the weekend?</span></li>
<li><span class="hanzi">你周末能不能加班呢？</span> <span class="vert"> Much more indirect than the above example.</span><span class="trans"> Would you mind coming in on the weekend?")</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>Again, the meaning of the above sentences depends on context, and the interpretations given are just examples.</p>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="Interrogative_pronouns" title="wikilink">Interrogative pronouns</a></li>
<li><a href="Questions_with_"ne"" title="wikilink">Questions with "ne"</a></li>
<li><a href="Sentence-final_interjection_"a"" title="wikilink">Sentence-final interjection "a"</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>
<ul>
<li>A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (<span class="hanzi">外国人实用汉语语法</span>) (pp.139-41) </li>
</ul>
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