ChineseGrammarWiki/Programmes/B2.old/Grammar-wiki-B2-42.txt.html

<p>We have seen before that 吧 can be used to <a href="Softening_speech_with_&quot;ba&quot;" title="wikilink">soften the tone of statements</a>, or <a href="Suggestions_with_ba" title="wikilink">make commands feel more like suggestions</a>. 呢 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">呢 used successively with 还是</h2>
<p>呢 can be used successively in questions using 还是.</p>
<h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Option 1 + 呢 + 还是 + Option 2 + 呢？</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>我 去 缅甸 <em>呢</em>，<em>还是</em> 泰国<em>呢</em>？我 得 想 一 想！<span class="trans">Should I go to Myanmar or Thailand? I have to think a bit!</span></li>
<li>咱们 打 电脑 游戏 <em>呢</em>，<em>还是</em> 跟 朋友 去 泡 酒吧<em>呢</em>，我 都 可以！<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.">呢 with questions involving interrogative pronouns (哪儿，谁，怎么，什么 etc.)</h2>
<h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>⋯⋯Interrogative Pronoun⋯⋯ + 呢？</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>这 是 谁 的 笔<em>呢</em>?<span class="trans">I wonder whose pen this is.</span></li>
<li>他 去 哪儿 <em>了 呢</em>？<span class="trans">I wonder where he's going?</span></li>
<li>怎么 会<em>呢</em>？<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 &quot;I wonder&quot; 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.</p>
<h2 id="呢-with-verb-不-verb-questions">呢 with &quot;verb 不 verb&quot; questions</h2>
<p>If a &quot;verb 不 verb&quot; 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.</p>
<h3 id="structure-2">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + Verb 1 + 不 + Verb 1 + (Verb 2) + 呢？</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>你 去 不 去 逛街？<span class="expl">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>你 去 不 去 逛街<em>呢</em>？<span class="expl">Less intense, just asking a question.</span><span class="trans">Are you going to go shopping?</span></li>
<li>牛奶 你 喝 不 喝？<span class="expl">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>牛奶你喝不喝<em>呢</em>？<span class="expl">Perhaps said to a friend, with no implication of coercion. Perhaps you want to clear away their cup.</span><span class="trans">Did you drink the milk?</span></li>
<li>你周末能不能加班？<span class="expl">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>你周末能不能加班<em>呢</em>？<span class="expl">Much more indirect than the above example.</span><span class="trans">Would you mind coming in on the weekend?&quot;)</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_&quot;ne&quot;" title="wikilink">Questions with &quot;ne&quot;</a></li>
<li><a href="Sentence-final_interjection_&quot;a&quot;" title="wikilink">Sentence-final interjection &quot;a&quot;</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="A_Practical_Chinese_Grammar_For_Foreigners_(外国人实用汉语语法)" title="wikilink">A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)</a> (pp.139-41) <a href="http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-23&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;asin=B001J0ADWA&amp;camp=536&amp;creative=3132&amp;creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA">→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<p>      </p>
<p><a href="Category:_B2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category: B2 grammar points</a> <a href="Category:_Particles" title="wikilink">Category: Particles</a></p>