Negative Questions Ending with 嗎吗 ma

Adding 嗎 ma吗 ma to the end of a negative sentence makes a question like “Aren’t you…?” or “Didn’t he…?” The speaker usually expects the opposite answer, so it can show surprise, ask for confirmation, or politely disagree.

一 Negative + 嗎吗

Negative Sentence + 吗

Take a sentence with 不 bù, 沒 méi没 méi, or 不是 búshì, and add 嗎 ma吗 ma at the end.

你nǐ不bú饿è吗ma？

Aren’t you hungry?

Seeking confirmation: I think you are hungry.

你nǐ不bù知道zhīdào吗ma？

You don’t know?

Surprise: I’m surprised you don’t know.

这zhè不bú对duì吗ma？

Isn’t this right?

Polite disagreement: I think it is right.

今天jīntiān不是búshì星期三xīngqīsān吗ma？

Isn’t today Wednesday?

你nǐ没méi去过qùguò北京Běijīng吗ma？

You’ve never been to Beijing?

你nǐ不bù喜欢xǐhuan咖啡kāfēi吗ma？

You don’t like coffee? (I thought you did!)

他tā没méi告诉gàosu你nǐ吗ma？

He didn’t tell you? (I assumed he had!)

二 How to Answer

Answering is the tricky part! Chinese doesn’t answer with “yes” or “no.” You simply repeat the verb, positive or negative, to state the facts.

你nǐ不bú去qù吗ma？

Aren’t you going?

If you ARE going

（去qù，）我wǒ去qù

Yes, I’m going.

If you’re NOT going

（不bú去qù，）我wǒ不bú去qù

No, I’m not going.

No yes or noAvoid answering with 是 shì or 不是 búshì here. Saying 是 to “Aren’t you going?” is confusing: it could mean “Yes, I’m going” or “Right, I’m not going.” Just repeat the verb.

三 Softer Alternatives

A negative 嗎 ma吗 ma question can sound a bit impolite in sensitive situations, because it suggests surprise or annoyance. To soften it, try one of these:

我wǒ以为yǐwéi你nǐ去过qùguò北京Běijīng

I thought you’d been to Beijing.

Gentler than 你没去过北京吗？

你nǐ是不是shì bu shì没méi吃chī早餐zǎocān？

You haven’t had breakfast, have you?

A more tentative way to check.

四 Common Mistakes

❌ A：你nǐ不bú去qù嗎ma吗ma？ B：是shì

✅ A：你nǐ不bú去qù嗎ma吗ma？ B：不bú去qù，我wǒ不bú去qù

Answer by repeating the verb, not with 是 shì.

❌ 你nǐ沒méi没méi知道zhīdào嗎ma吗ma？

✅ 你nǐ不bù知道zhīdào嗎ma吗ma？

知道 zhīdào is a state, so it’s negated with 不 bù.

五 Practice

Tap the words below in the right order to build the sentence, then check your answer. If it’s wrong, you can try again as many times as you like, or hit “Show answer” if you get stuck. Careful: some tiles are traps and are not needed!

Question 1 of 10

“Aren’t you tired?”