Chinese grammar:Tag questions with "ma"

As well as yes / no questions, you can also form tag questions with 吗 (ma). Tag questions are quick questions that are tagged on the end of a sentence to ask for /confirm/iation. In English, this is often done with "right?", or by adding the negative form of the verb phrase - e.g., "isn't it?".

The easiest way to do this in Chinese is to add an adjective and 吗 on the end of the sentence.

Basic Pattern

1. ……， 好 吗？ ..., all right?
2.……， 对 吗？ ..., right?
3.……， 是 吗？.., is that it?
4.……， 可以 吗？ ..., is that OK?

By placing these on the end of a sentence, you can soften a suggestion or request /confirm/iation.

Examples

Gěi wǒ men shí èr pínɡ pú tɑo jiǔ , ké yǐ mɑ?
给我们十二瓶葡萄酒，可以吗？

Give us twelve bottles of wine, OK?

Nǐ xǐ huɑn tā ， shì mɑ ?
你喜欢他，是吗？

You like him, right?

Tā shì nǐ ɡē ɡe ， duì mɑ?
他是你哥哥，对吗？

He is your older brother, right?

Wǒ men hē chá ， hǎo mɑ?
我们 喝茶，好吗？

Let's drink some tea, OK?