ChineseGrammarWiki/MD/A2/88.mw

{{Grammar Box}} 
Asking questions about completed actions will involve using both 了 (le) and 吗 (ma). These are simply added to the end of a sentence or statement. Just make sure that 了 (le) comes first, followed by 吗 (ma).

== Basic Usage ==

=== Structure ===

<div class="jiegou">

Subj. + Verb + Obj. + 了吗?

</div>

Note the order of 了 (le) and 吗 (ma).

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

* 你 吃饭 <em>了 吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ chīfàn <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Did you eat? </span>
* 老板 走 <em>了 吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn zǒu <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Did the boss leave? </span>
* 你男朋友 找到 新 工作 <em>了 吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ nánpéngyou zhǎodào xīn gōngzuò <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Has your boyfriend found a new job yet? </span>
* 妈妈，你 昨天 给 我 打电话 <em>了 吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Māma, nǐ zuótiān gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Mom, did you call me yesterday? </span>
* 你 今天 去 上班 <em>了 吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jīntiān qù shàngbān <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Did you go to work today? </span>

</div>

==With a Topic==

=== Structure ===

<div class="jiegou">

Topic (+ Subj.) + Verb + 了吗?

</div>

NOTE: in this structure, the topic is also the object for the verb.

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

* 晚饭 你 吃 <em>了 吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Wǎnfàn nǐ chī <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Did you eat dinner? </span>
* 衣服 你 洗 好 <em>了 吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Yīfu nǐ xǐ hǎo <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Have you finished washing the clothes? </span>
* 作业 你 写 完 <em>了 吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Zuòyè nǐ xiě wán <em> le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Have you finishing doing homework? </span>
*  这 个 电影 你 看 <em>了 吗</em>？<span class="pinyin">Zhège diànyǐng nǐ kàn <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Have you seen this movie? </span>
* 我 的 邮件 你 收到 <em>了 吗</em>？ <span class="pinyin">Wǒ de yóujiàn nǐ shōudào <em>le ma</em>? </span><span class="trans">Have you received my email? </span>

</div>

Finally, please note that this pattern is nothing more than the combination of the [[expressing completion with "le"]] pattern and the [[Yes-no questions with "ma"|yes/no questions with "ma"]] pattern.

==See also==
*[[Yes-no questions with "ma"]]
*[[Expressing completion with "le"]] 
*[[Rhetorical Questions with "nandao"]]

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===

* [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (p. 229) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 →buy]
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (p. 17) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297  →buy]
* [[A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)]] (p. 429) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA →buy] 

[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|了|A2|Verb + 了 + 吗？|你 去 <em>了 吗</em>？|grammar point|ASGYKDNF}}
{{Rel char|吗}}
{{Similar|Yes - no questions with ma}} 
{{Similar|Yes - Expressing completion with le}}
{{Similar|Yes - Rhetorical Questions with "nandao"}}
{{Used for|Asking questions}}
{{Structure|Question Forms}}