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Asking Questions in the Negative

Beginner 1 • 14 Words

★★★★★

Sometimes question come with a little bit of presumed knowledge - in these cases, regular questions just won't cut it, and questions in the negative are essential. In this audio slideshow from FluentU, learn how to utilize the powerful negating adverb 不 (bù) and the question marker 吗 (ma) to create questions in the negative.

Vocab
Dialogue
Comments

		Word	Definition	Fluency
		不是 bú shì (verb) is not; am not; are not	(verb) is not; am not; are not
		你 nǐ (pronoun) you	(pronoun) you
		Statement + 吗 Statement + ma (part.) comes after a statement to create a question	(part.) comes after a statement to create a question
		她 tā (pronoun) she; her	(pronoun) she; her
		不 bú (adv.) not; don't (2nd tone when followed by a 4th tone)	(adv.) not; don't (2nd tone when followed by a 4th tone)
		美国人 měi guó rén (noun) American person	(noun) American person
		我 wǒ (pronoun) I; me	(pronoun) I; me
		他 tā (pronoun) he; him	(pronoun) he; him
		中国人 zhōng guó rén (noun) Chinese person	(noun) Chinese person
		不是 bú shì (adv.) no (opposite of yes)	(adv.) no (opposite of yes)
		她们 tā men (pronoun) them; they (female)	(pronoun) them; they (female)
		英国人 yīng guó rén (noun) British person	(noun) British person
		他们 tā men (pronoun) they; them	(pronoun) they; them
		韩国人 hán guó rén (noun) South Korean person	(noun) South Korean person

to not be

。

You are not.

？

Aren't you?

？

Isn't she?

？

Aren't you an American?

。

I'm not.

？

He's not Chinese?

，

。

No, he's not Chinese.

？

They're not British?

，

。

No, they're not British.

？

Aren't they Korean?

。

They're not.

Asking Questions in the Negative

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