We have seen before that 吧 can be used to soften the
tone of statements, or make commands feel more like suggestions. 呢 works in
same way, but it is used to make questions more indirect and
uncertain in tone.
呢 used successively with
还是
呢 can be used successively in questions using 还是.
Structure
Option 1 + 呢 + 还是 + Option 2 + 呢？
Examples
- 我 去 缅甸 呢，还是 泰国呢？我 得 想 一
想！Should I go to Myanmar or Thailand? I have to
think a bit!
- 咱们 打 电脑 游戏 呢，还是 跟 朋友 去 泡 酒吧呢，我 都
可以！Should we play computer games or go to the
bar? I can do either!
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.
呢
with questions involving interrogative pronouns (哪儿，谁，怎么，什么
etc.)
Structure
⋯⋯Interrogative Pronoun⋯⋯ + 呢？
Examples
- 这 是 谁 的 笔呢?I wonder whose pen this
is.
- 他 去 哪儿 了 呢？I wonder where he's
going?
- 怎么 会呢？How could that
be?
In the previous example, the speaker has a tone of conjecture, a
bit like saying "I wonder" in English. Again, as in the first
example, the question is not directly asked at the listener. Adding
呢 to 怎么会 as in the last example sentence can sound a bit feminine;
overusing 呢 can have this result.
呢 with "verb 不 verb"
questions
If a "verb 不 verb" question is posed without 呢, 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 呢 can give a tone of uncertainty, and is more polite.
Structure
Subj. + Verb 1 + 不 + Verb 1 + (Verb 2) + 呢？
Examples
- 你 去 不 去 逛街？Said as though demanding an
answer, potentially in a hurry.Well are
you going to go shopping or what?
- 你 去 不 去 逛街呢？Less intense, just
asking a question.Are you going to go
shopping?
- 牛奶 你 喝 不 喝？Said to a child, with the
implication that if the milk isn't drunk, there will be
consequences, with emphasis placed on 喝Did you drink the milk or not?
- 牛奶你喝不喝呢？Perhaps said to a friend,
with no implication of coercion. Perhaps you want to clear away
their cup.Did you drink the
milk?
- 你周末能不能加班？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 orderCan
you come into work on the weekend?
- 你周末能不能加班呢？Much more indirect than
the above example.Would you mind coming
in on the weekend?")
Again, the meaning of the above sentences depends on context,
and the interpretations given are just examples.
See also
Sources and further
reading
Category:
B2 grammar points Category: Particles