Chinese Grammar│Chinese Question sentence (1)

Related discussion

→ Chinese Question sentence (2)
→ Chinese Pronunciation│一 yī、不 bù
→ Difference of「不 bù、沒 méi」

Introduce：Chinese Question sentence
Question sentence is to ask questions and expresses an question tone.

In English,we use "how", "where", "who", "what", "which" and the inversion sentence like,"do I", "Will he".

In Chinese , we also use  "how", "where", "who", "what", "which", but no inversion.

According to the different grammars, it can be divided and defined as into 4 kinds of sentence patterns：

(1) Specific questions 特指問[问] tè zhǐ wèn
(2) Selective questions  選擇[选择]問 xuǎn zé wèn

(3) Questions with repetition words 反覆問 fǎn fù wèn
(4) Yes-no questions 是非問 shì fēi wèn
1. Specific questions 特指問[问] tè zhǐ wèn

To ask questions by question particles ,like "who,what,how,where,when" .

I'll write more common question particles in detain in Question sentence (2)

EXAMPLE 1

Q：How do we go?
      wǒ men zěn me qù？
      我們[们]  怎麼[么]   去？
       we            how      go

A：We walk.
      wǒ men zǒu lù。
      我們    走路。
      we     walk

EXAMPLE 2
Q：What time do we go?
      wǒ men jǐ diǎn qù？
      我們     幾[几]         點[点]    去？
      we    how many  o'clock   go

A：We go on nine.
      wǒ men jiǔ diǎn qù。
      我們  九         點        去。
      we  nine   o'clock   go

＊See more about "o'clock" in Chinese Grammar│Time in Chinese.

EXAMPLE 3
Q：Who is there? 
      shéi zài nà lǐ？      誰        在     那裡[里]？
     who  locate  there

A：He is there.
      tā zài nà lǐ。      他      在       那裡。
      he  locate   there

2. Selective questions 選擇[选择]問 xuǎn zé wèn

To ask questions by several options.

＊We can add a particle word「呢 ne」 behind options. 

    We also can omit it.

＊We can answer by 
   (1) the name of option simply .
   (2) a whole affirmative sentence.

EXAMPLE 1
Q：Would you like drink water or cola?
       nǐ yào hē shuǐ ， hái shì kě lè？
 你      要       喝       水    還[还]是 可樂[乐]？
you  want  drink  water    or        cola

EXAMPLE 2
Q：Do you go, or me?
      nǐ qù ne， hái shì wǒ qù ne？      你   去  呢，還是  我  去  呢 ？
    you  go          or     I   go

3. Questions with repetition word 反覆問 fǎn fù wèn

To ask question by below special grammar patterns：
→ verb + 不 bù / bú + verb
→ adjective + 不 bù/ bú  + adjective 

＊See pronunciation about「不」
    → Chinese Pronunciation│一 Yī、不 Bù

＊We can answer the question by ：
    → repeat the verb or adjective in question
    → negative by 「不 + verb / adjective」

EXAMPLE 1
Much ,or not；多不多 duō bù duō
Q：Is there many people in swimming pool?
      yóu yǒng chí lǐ rén duō bù duō？
   游泳    池        裡       人          多     不      多？
 swim  pool  inside people  much  not  much 

EXAMPLE 2
is, or isn't；是不是 shì bú shì
Q：Is this book yours?
       zhè shū shì bú shì nǐ de？
     這[这]  書[书]  是   不    是  你的？
      this    book    is  not   is   yours 

EXAMPLE 3
OK, or not；好不好 hǎo bù hǎo
Q：Let's go swimming, OK (not) ?
      wǒ men qù yóu yǒng, hǎo bù hǎo？
      我們  去   游泳，  好   不    好？
       we   go  swim   OK  not  OK

4. Yes-no questions 是非問 shì fēi wèn

To ask questions and expect answer by yes-no.

＊Just ask by adding a question particle at end of sentence in affirmative sentence, like「嗎 ma、啊 a、吧 ba」.

EXAMPLE
Q：Do you want to go?
      nǐ xiǎng qù ma?
      你      想      去   嗎？
     you  want   go
Q：Are you hungry?
       nǐ è le ma?
    你   餓[饿]         了       嗎？
   you  hungry already

＊「了 le」indicates that an verb, action or event was completed ,have taken place , or take place in the future. 
    See more about Usage of「了 le」

We can answer  by：
1) answer the corresponding description of question, like 「want 」、「hungry」in example.
2) answer yes-no, or similar words ,like
  - Yeah       嗯 ēn
  - Correct   是 shì
  - Wrong    不是 bú shì
  - Correct   是的 shì de
  - Wrong    不是的 bú shì de
  - Correct   對 duì
  - Wrong    不對 bú duì
  - Wrong    不 bù
  - Won't     不會 bú huì  - Don't want 不要 bú yào

  - Have      有 yǒu
  - Have      有的 yǒu de

  - Don't have 沒有 méi yǒu

Difference of 「嗎 ma、吧 ba、啊 a」

「嗎 ma」

Use「嗎 ma」when：
1) Questioner doesn't know the answer.

「吧 ba」

Use「吧 ba」when ：

1) Questioner make a guess.

2) Questioner hope to get the agreement.

「啊 a」

Use「啊 a」when ：

1) Questioner know the answer but want to double-check again.