Language/Mandarin-chinese/Grammar/Questions-with-不-(bù)

Closed interrogative questions in Chinese can also be formulated with 不 (bù).

This is done by adding an affirmative-negative structure at the end of the sentence.

Structure

Verb + 不 + Verb

好 不 好 ？

對 不 對 ？/对 不 对 ？

是 不 是 ？

When placed before a falling tone character, 不 is read bú.

This expression can be attached to the end of a sentence to form a closed interrogative sentence.

Closed interrogative sentences await confirmation or acceptance of what has been said.

In English "isn't it?" or "OK?" are often used for closed interrogative sentences. 

Examples

• 他們 來 不 來 ？/他们 来 不 来 ？ (Tāmen lái bù lái?)

Are they going to come or not?

• 你 想 不 想 我 ？ (Nǐ xiǎng bù xiǎng wǒ?)

Do you or do you not miss me?

• 我們 要 去 酒吧 ， 你 去 不 去 ？/我们 要 去 酒吧 ， 你 去 不 去？ (Wǒmen yào qù jiǔbā, nǐ qù bú qù?)

We are going to the bar. Do you want to go?

• 我 去 買 咖啡 ， 你 要 不 要 ？/我 去 买 咖啡 ，你 要 不 要 ？ (Wǒ qù mǎi kāfēi, nǐ yào bú yào?)

I'm going to buy coffee. Do you want some?

• 我們 去 咖啡 店 ，好 不 好？/我们 去 咖啡 店 ， 好 不 好 ？ (Wǒmen qù kāfēi diàn, hǎo bù hǎo?)

Let's go to the cafe, OK?

• 他 是 你 的 老闆 ， 對 不 對？/他 是 你 的 老板 ， 对 不 对 ？ (Tā shì nǐ de lǎobǎn, duì bú duì?)

It's your boss, is not it?

• 你 姓 王 ， 是 不 是 ？ (Nǐ xìng Wáng, shì bù shì?)

Your name is Wang, isn't it?

Sources

https://chine.in/mandarin/grammaire/ASG4D8XB

https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question

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