Language/Mandarin-chinese/Grammar/吗-ma

If it is possible to create closed questions in Chinese with 嗎/吗 (ma), the interrogative particle can also be used to form question-tags (consisting of small fragments added at the end of a sentence to generally request confirmation or to make it interrogative).

In English, they can be obtained with "Huh?", "Isn't it?", Etc.

The easiest way to get to that in Chinese is to add a confirmatory word and 嗎/吗 (ma) at the end of the sentence.

Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: 是...的, 不 (bù), Complex Verb Phrases & Superlative Form and Usage.

Structure

As you can see below, the form usually includes words such as 好 (hǎo), 對/对 (duì), 是 (shì), or 可以 (kěyǐ), followed by 嗎/吗 (ma).

By placing these elements at the end of a sentence, you can soften a suggestion or ask for confirmation.  

Examples

• 我們 喝 茶， 好 嗎？/我们 喝 茶 ， 好 吗？

Wǒmen hē chá, hǎo ma?

Let's drink some tea, OK?

• 我們 去 咖啡 店， 好 嗎？/我们 去 咖啡 店， 好 吗？

Wǒmen qù kāfēi diàn, hǎo ma?

Let's go to the cafe, OK?

• 你 喜歡 他， 是 嗎？ / 你 喜欢 他， 是 吗？

Nǐ xǐhuan tā, shì ma?

You like him, huh?

• 去 吃 中國 菜， 好 嗎？/去 吃 中国 菜， 好 吗？

Qù chī Zhōngguó cài, hǎo ma?

Let's eat Chinese food, OK?

• 他 是 你 哥哥， 對 嗎？/他 是 你 哥哥， 对 吗？

Tā shì nǐ gēge, duì ma?

It's your elder brother, is not it?

Sources

https://chine.in/mandarin/grammaire/ASGSJYZ2

Other Lessons

• Ask for directions in Chinese
• Use the verb 姓 (xìng)
• 都 (dōu)
• 二 (èr) versus 两 (liǎng)
• Be Polite
• Express possession with 有 (yǒu)
• Negation Use 不 (bù) or 没 (mei)
• Transition words
• 了 le
• Plural