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  <title>Affirmative-negative question</title>
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<body>
  <h1>Affirmative-negative question</h1>

  <dl>
    <dd>Also known as: <span class="hanzi">正反问句</span> (<span class="pinyin">zhèng-fǎn wènjù</span>) and alternative questions.</dd>
  </dl>

  <p>A common way to form questions in Chinese is to first use a <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Verb" title="Verb">verb</a> in the positive, then repeat the same verb in its negative form, similar to how in English we can say, "Do you have money or not?" or "Have you or have you not been to the park?" This sentence pattern feels a lot more natural in Chinese than those admittedly awkward English equivalents, however.</p>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_215">Contents</h2>

  <div class="contents">
    <ul>
      <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Verb-Not-Verb"> 1 Verb-Not-Verb</a> 

      <ul>
        <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-2"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Structure"> 1.1 Structure</a></li>

        <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Examples"> 1.2 Examples</a></li>
      </ul></li>

      <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Verb-Not-Verb_with_an_Object"> 2 Verb-Not-Verb with an Object</a> 

      <ul>
        <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Structure_2"> 2.1 Structure</a></li>

        <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Examples_2"> 2.2 Examples</a></li>
      </ul></li>

      <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-7"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Adjective-Not-Adjective"> 3 Adjective-Not-Adjective</a> 

      <ul>
        <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Structure_3"> 3.1 Structure</a></li>

        <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-9"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Examples_3"> 3.2 Examples</a></li>
      </ul></li>

      <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-10"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Two-character_verbs_or_adjectives_in_positive-negative_questions"> 4 Two-character verbs or adjectives in positive-negative questions</a> 

      <ul>
        <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-11"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Structure_4"> 4.1 Structure</a></li>

        <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Examples_4"> 4.2 Examples</a></li>
      </ul></li>

      <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-13"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#.E6.9C.89_in_positive-negative_questions"> 5 <span class="hanzi">有</span> in positive-negative questions</a> 

      <ul>
        <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-14"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Structure_5"> 5.1 Structure</a></li>

        <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-15"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Examples_5"> 5.2 Examples</a></li>
      </ul></li>

      <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-16"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#See_also"> 6 See also</a></li>

      <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-17"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Sources_and_further_reading"> 7 Sources and further reading</a> 

      <ul>
        <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-18"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Videos"> 7.1 Videos</a></li>

        <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-19"><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question#Books"> 7.2 Books</a></li>
      </ul></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_216"><span id="Verb-Not-Verb">Verb-Not-Verb</span></h2>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_217"><span id="Structure">Structure</span></h3>

  <div class="deux">
    Verb + <span class="hanzist">不</span> + Verb
  </div>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_218">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">是 不 是 ？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Shì bù shì ?</span> <br/>Is it (or not)?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他们 来 不 来 ？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Tāmen lái bù lái ?</span><br/> Are they going to come or not?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 想 不 想 我 ？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiǎng bù xiǎng wǒ?</span> <br/>Do you or do you not miss me?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我们 要 去 酒吧， 你 去 不 去 ？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen yào qù jiǔbā, nǐ qù bù qù ?</span> <br/>We are going to the bar.Do you want to go?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 去 买 咖啡 ，你 要 不 要 ？</span><br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ qù mǎi kāfēi, yào bù yào ?</span> <br/>I‘m going to buy coffee.Do you want some?</li>
    </ul>

    <p><br/></p>
  </div>

  <p>Note that the question provides the listener with both possible answers: it's either "Verb" or "<span class="hanzi">不 </span>(<span class="pinyin">bù</span>) Verb."</p>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_219"><span id="Verb-Not-Verb_with_an_Object">Verb-Not-Verb with an Object</span></h2>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_220"><span id="Structure_2">Structure</span></h3>

  <p>If you want to add an object after the verb, the general sentence structure is:</p>

  <div class="deux">
    Subj. + Verb + <span class="hanzist">不</span> + Verb + Obj.
  </div>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_221"><span id="Examples_2">Examples</span></h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">你 回 不 回 家？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ huí bù huí jiā?</span> <br/>Are you coming back home or not?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">她 吃 不 吃 鱼？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Tā chī bù chī yú?</span> <br/>Does she eat fish?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你们 要 不 要 米饭？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐmen yào bù yào mǐfàn?</span><br/> Do you want rice?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你爸爸 喝 不 喝 酒？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ bàba  hē bù hē jiǔ?</span> <br/>Does your dad drink alcohol or not?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">今天 老板 来 不 来 办公室？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Jīntiān lǎobǎn lái bù lái bàngōngshì?</span> <br/>Is the boss coming to the office today?</li>
    </ul>

    <p><br/></p>
  </div>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_222"><span id="Adjective-Not-Adjective">Adjective-Not-Adjective</span></h2>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_223"><span id="Structure_3">Structure</span></h3>

  <p>It can also be done with <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Adjectives" title="Adjectives" class="mw-redirect">adjectives</a> (adjectives often behave like verbs in Chinese):</p>

  <div class="deux">
    Adj. + <span class="hanzist">不</span> + Adj.
  </div>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_224"><span id="Examples_3">Examples</span></h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">好 不 好 ？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Hǎo bù hǎo ?</span> <br/>Is it good? (or "good or not good?")</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">热 不 热 ？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Rè bù rè ?</span><br/> Is it hot?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他 帅 不 帅 ？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Tā shuài bù shuài ?</span><br/> Is he handsome?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">这里 的 咖啡 贵 不 贵 ？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ de kāfēi gùi bù gùi ?</span> <br/>Is the coffee expensive here?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">中国 菜 辣 不 辣 ？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó cài là bù là ?</span> <br/>Is Chinese food spicy?</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <p>Again, the question provides the listener with both possible answers: it's either "<b>Adjective</b>" or "<span class="hanzi">不</span> (<span class="pinyin">bù</span>) <b>Adjective</b>."</p>

  <p>These are something like adding tag questions in English, in this case "Are you an adult or not?" If you wanted to translate it very literally, it would be, "Are you or are you not an adult?" In any case, the structure is a very common way to ask questions in Chinese.</p>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_225"><span id="Two-character_verbs_or_adjectives_in_positive-negative_questions">Two-character verbs or adjectives in positive-negative questions</span></h2>

  <p>All of the verbs used so far have been single-character verbs. Using two-characters verbs in positive-negative questions is slightly trickier. You usually put <span class="hanzi">不</span> (<span class="pinyin">bù</span>) after just the first character, then put the entire verb. For example <span class="hanzi">喜不喜欢</span> (<span class="pinyin">xǐ bù xǐhuan</span>) is the usual question form of <span class="hanzi">喜欢</span> (<span class="pinyin">xǐhuan</span>). You can repeat the whole two-character verb twice, but it's more common (and more elegant) to insert <span class="hanzi">不</span> (<span class="pinyin">bù</span>) after the first character (and the same is generally true of two-character adjectives).</p>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_226"><span id="Structure_4">Structure</span></h3>

  <p>It can be done with <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Verbs" title="Verbs" class="mw-redirect">verbs</a>:</p>

  <div class="deux">
    [First Character of Verb] + <span class="hanzist">不</span> + Verb
  </div>

  <p>It can also be done with <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Adjectives" title="Adjectives" class="mw-redirect">adjectives</a>:</p>

  <div class="deux">
    [First Character of Adj.] + <span class="hanzist">不</span> + Adj.
  </div>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_227"><span id="Examples_4">Examples</span></h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">喜欢 不 喜欢</span><br/> <span class="pinyin"><span class="vert">the whole word is repeated</span> </span><br/> <span class="pinyin">Xǐhuan bù xǐhuan ?</span> <br/> Do you like it?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">喜 不 喜欢</span> <br/><span class="pinyin"><span class="vert">only the first character is repeated</span> </span><br/><span class="pinyin">Xǐ bù xǐhuan ?</span><br/> Do you like it?</li>
    </ul>

    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">高兴 不 高兴</span><br/> <span class="pinyin"><span class="vert">the whole word is repeated</span> </span><br/><span class="pinyin">Gāoxìng bù gāoxìng ?</span> <br/>Are you happy?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">高 不 高兴</span><br/> <span class="pinyin"><span class="vert">only the first character is repeated</span> </span><br/><span class="pinyin">Gāo bù gāoxìng ?</span> <br/>Are you happy?</li>
    </ul>

    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">他 女朋友 漂亮 不 漂亮 ？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin"><span class="vert">the whole word is repeated</span> </span><br/><span class="pinyin">Tā nǚpéngyou piàoliang bù piàoliang ?</span><br/> Is his girlfriend pretty?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他 女朋友 漂 不 漂亮 ？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin"><span class="vert">only the first character is repeated </span></span><br/><span class="pinyin">Tā nǚpéngyou piào bù piàoliang ?</span><br/> Is his girlfriend pretty?</li>
    </ul>

    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">中国 菜 好吃 不 好吃 ？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin"><span class="vert">the whole word is repeated </span></span><br/><span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó cài hǎochī bù hǎochī ?</span><br/> Is Chinese food good?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">中国 菜 好 不 好吃 ？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin"><span class="vert">only the first character is repeated </span></span><br/><span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó cài hǎo bù hǎochī ?</span><br/> Is Chinese food good?</li>
    </ul>

    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">那 个 地方 好玩 不 好玩 ？</span><br/> <span class="pinyin"><span class="vert">the whole word is repeated </span></span><br/><span class="pinyin">Nà ge dìfang hǎowán bù hǎowán ?</span><br/> Is that place fun?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">那 个 地方 好 不 好玩 ？</span><br/> <span class="pinyin"><span class="vert">only the first character is repeated</span> </span><br/><span class="pinyin">Nà ge dìfang hǎo bù hǎowán ?</span> <br/>Is that place fun?</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_228"><span id=".E6.9C.89_in_positive-negative_questions"><span style="color: rgb(255, 127, 80); font-family: NotoSansCJKsc; font-size: 30px; font-weight: normal;">有</span> in positive-negative questions</span></h2>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_229"><span id="Structure_5">Structure</span></h3>

  <p>Because the verb <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Negation_of_%22you%22" title="Negation of &quot;you&quot;" class="mw-redirect">有 (yǒu) is negated with 没 (méi)</a> and not <span class="hanzi">不</span> (<span class="pinyin">bù</span>), the structure for positive-negative questions with <span class="hanzi">有</span> (<span class="pinyin">yǒu</span>) is:</p>

  <div class="deux">
    Subj. + <span class="hanzist">有没有</span> + Obj.
  </div>

  <p>The possible answers are: "<span class="hanzi">有</span> (<span class="pinyin">yǒu</span>)" or "<span class="hanzi">没有</span> (<span class="pinyin">méiyǒu</span>)."</p>

  <p>The questions could be be asking about current possession ("<b>do you have it or not?</b>"), or to ask about <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Negation_of_past_actions" title="Negation of past actions" class="mw-redirect">verbs in the past</a> ("<b>did you do it or not?</b>").</p>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_230"><span id="Examples_5">Examples</span></h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">你哥哥 有 没有 女 朋友？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐgēge yǒu méiyǒu nǚpéngyou?</span> <br/>Does your older brother have a girlfriend?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你们 有 没有 孩子？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐmen yǒu méiyǒu háizi?</span> <br/>Do you have children?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 有 没有 见 过 Obama？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu jiàn guo Obama?</span> <br/>Have you met Obama?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">奶奶 有 没有 坐 过 飞机？</span><br/> <span class="pinyin">Nǎinai yǒu méiyǒu zuò guo fēijī?</span> <br/>Has grandma been on a plane?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他 有 没有 上 过 大学？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Tā yǒu méiyǒu shàng guo dàxué?</span> <br/>Has he been to college?</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_231">See also</h2>

  <ul>
    <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Tag_questions_with_%22bu%22" title="Tag questions with &quot;bu&quot;">Tag questions with "bù"</a></li>

    <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Yes-no_questions_with_%22ma%22" title="Yes-no questions with &quot;ma&quot;">Yes-no questions with "ma"</a></li>

    <li><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Offering_choices_with_%22haishi%22" title="Offering choices with &quot;haishi&quot;">Offering choices with "háishì"</a></li>
  </ul>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_232">Sources and further reading</h2>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_233">Videos</h3>

  <ul>
    <li>Yoyo Chinese: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu7GPWS2FKE&amp;list=PL94A5E422FB99CDDD">Verb-not-verb Questions</a></li>
  </ul>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_234">Books</h3>

  <ul>
    <li>Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 141-4)</li>

    <li>Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 86, 102-4)</li>

    <li>New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (<span class="hanzi">新实用汉语课本1</span>) (p. 87)</li>

    <li>New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (<span class="hanzi">新实用汉语课本1</span>)(2nd ed) (pp. 102, 250-1)</li>
  </ul>
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