Particles

Original teaching practice. Read one pattern, cover its model and try the questions before checking the separate answer section. Examples adapted from Chinese Grammar Wiki (AllSet Learning, CC BY-NC-SA) retain the course-reference provenance.

Statement + (yes/no ?)吗ma (yes/no confirmation)

Checking what you heard

• Your friend mentions she's moving next week, and you can't quite believe it.
• you你nǐnext week下个星期xià gè xīng qīthen / just就jiùto move house搬家bān jiā(yes/no ?)吗ma？ – "You're moving as soon as next week?"

Statement + (yes/no ?)吗ma？ = yes/no question

• Add (yes/no ?)吗ma to the end of a statement to make it a yes/no question; word order does not change.
• he / him他tāto be / is是shìteacher老师lǎo shī。→ he / him他tāto be / is是shìteacher老师lǎo shī(yes/no ?)吗ma？ – "Is he a teacher?"

he他tāis是shìa teacher老师lǎo shī吗ma？

Checking and confirming

• With a rising, surprised tone, (yes/no ?)吗ma checks what you heard: you你nǐnot不bùto go去qù(yes/no ?)吗ma？ – "You're not going?"
• A negative (yes/no ?)吗ma question often expects "yes" or shows surprise: you你nǐnot不bùrope累lèi(yes/no ?)吗ma？ – "Aren't you tired?"

you你nǐnot不bútired累lèi吗ma？

One question form at a time

• No (yes/no ?)吗ma after a question word: you你nǐto go去qùwhere哪儿nǎr？, not you你nǐto go去qùwhere哪儿nǎr(yes/no ?)吗ma？ (unless it means "anywhere").
• No (yes/no ?)吗ma after A-not-A: you你nǐ去不去qù bù qù？, not you你nǐ去不去qù bù qù(yes/no ?)吗ma？

Answering a negative question

• Q: you你nǐnot不bùto like喜欢xǐ huan(yes/no ?)吗ma？ A: to / towards / correct对duì，I / me我wǒnot不bùto like喜欢xǐ huan – "Right, I don't." / not不bù，I / me我wǒto like喜欢xǐ huan – "No, I do."
• to / towards / correct对duì agrees with the statement inside the question, which can feel the opposite of English.

right对duì，I我wǒdon't不bùlike it喜欢xǐ huan。

Recap

• Statement + (yes/no ?)吗ma？ = yes/no question; word order stays the same.
• Not with question words or A-not-A. For negative questions, to / towards / correct对duì agrees with the negative statement.

Practise this pattern step by step.

… (suggestion)吧ba，… ；… (suggestion)吧ba，… (weighing options)

Can't decide

• You can't choose between two jobs: one is near home, the other pays more.
• to go去qù(suggestion)吧ba，太远tài yuǎn；不去bù qù(suggestion)吧ba，wages工资gōng zīagain又yòudegree / adjective linker很hěnhigh高gāo。 – "If I take it, it's too far; if I don't, well, the pay is high."

A (suggestion)吧ba，…；B (suggestion)吧ba，…

• Option 1 + (suggestion)吧ba，problem；Option 2 + (suggestion)吧ba，problem weighs two choices that both have drawbacks.
• (suggestion)吧ba here marks "suppose I …"; each option is followed by its downside.

buy买mǎi(suppose)吧ba，too太tàiexpensive贵guì；not不bùbuy买mǎi(suppose)吧ba，but又yòureally很hěnlike it喜欢xǐ huan。

Showing a dilemma

• variant of 说说shuō(suggestion)吧ba，to be afraid怕pàhe / him他tāto get angry生气shēng qì；not不bùvariant of 说说shuō(suggestion)吧ba，again又yòuto feel / think觉得jué deno good不好bù hǎo。 – "If I tell him, I'm afraid he'll be angry; if I don't, I feel bad."
• again又yòu in the second half often adds "but on the other hand".

tell说shuō(suppose)吧ba，afraid怕pàhe他tāangry生气shēng qì。

Two sides, same shape

• Keep the two halves parallel: to go去qù(suggestion)吧ba…；不去bù qù(suggestion)吧ba…. Each needs its own problem.
• This (suggestion)吧ba is not a suggestion ("let's"); it means "if I were to …".

(suggestion)吧ba as a suggestion

• At the end of a sentence, (suggestion)吧ba suggests: we / us我们wǒ mento walk走zǒu(suggestion)吧ba – "Let's go."
• Inside the dilemma pattern, (suggestion)吧ba is followed by a comma and a problem.

we我们wǒ mengo走zǒu(let's)吧ba。

Recap

• A (suggestion)吧ba，problem；B (suggestion)吧ba，problem = whichever I choose, there is a downside.
• Parallel halves; again又yòu often in the second; different from the suggestion (suggestion)吧ba.

Practise this pattern step by step.

Sentence-final (modifier / structural particle)的de (modal: certainty)

Don't worry

• Your friend is nervous about tomorrow's interview. You are sure it will go well.
• you你nǐdefinitely一定yí dìngcan / will会huìsuccess成功chéng gōng(modifier / structural particle)的de。 – "You'll definitely succeed." The final (modifier / structural particle)的de adds certainty.

… can / will会huì / can / be able to能néng … (modifier / structural particle)的de = certainty

• Sentence + (modifier / structural particle)的de strengthens a judgement, promise or reassurance: 我会wǒ huìto go去qù(modifier / structural particle)的de, he / him他tāimprobable不会bú huìto forget忘wàng(modifier / structural particle)的de.
• It often appears with can / will会huì, can / be able to能néng, definitely一定yí dìng or to be certain肯定kěn dìng.

I我wǒwill会huìhelp帮bāngyou你nǐ(I'm sure)的de。

Promises and reassurance

• to feel relieved放心fàng xīn，I / me我wǒimprobable不会bú huìto tell告诉gào sùother people别人bié rén(modifier / structural particle)的de。 – "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
• this这个zhè gequestion问题wèn tícan / be able to能néngto solve解决jiě jué(modifier / structural particle)的de。 – "This problem can be solved, I'm sure."

don't worry放心fàng xīn，I我wǒwon't不会bú huìtell告诉gào suanyone别人bié rén(for sure)的de。

Not the to be / is是shì…(modifier / structural particle)的de pattern

• This (modifier / structural particle)的de adds certainty to a future or general statement; to be / is是shì…(modifier / structural particle)的de focuses on how/when/where a past event happened: I / me我wǒto be / is是shì坐飞机zuò fēi jīto come来lái(modifier / structural particle)的de.
• Without (modifier / structural particle)的de, the sentence is still correct; (modifier / structural particle)的de just makes it more reassuring or firm.

Compare with to be / is是shì…(modifier / structural particle)的de

• 我会wǒ huìto come来lái(modifier / structural particle)的de = I'll definitely come (certainty).
• I / me我wǒto be / is是shìyesterday昨天zuó tiānto come来lái(modifier / structural particle)的de = It was yesterday that I came (focus on the time of a past event).

I我wǒ(it was)是shìyesterday昨天zuó tiāncame来lái的de。

Recap

• can / will会huì / can / be able to能néng / definitely一定yí dìng … + (modifier / structural particle)的de = certainly, for sure: reassurance or a promise.
• Different from to be / is是shì…(modifier / structural particle)的de, which focuses on details of a past event.

Practise this pattern step by step.

Practice without the models

Choose a pattern, cover its teaching examples, and attempt its questions. Use the labels to find feedback in the separate key.

Statement + (yes/no ?)吗ma (yes/no confirmation)

0801.1 Make a question: “Are you a student?” you你nǐto be / is是shìstudent学生xué shēng…………？

0801.2 Which question is correct?

• A. you你nǐtomorrow明天míng tiānto come来lái(yes/no ?)吗ma？
• B. (yes/no ?)吗mayou你nǐtomorrow明天míng tiānto come来lái？
• C. you你nǐ去不去qù bù qù(yes/no ?)吗ma？
• D. you你nǐwhat什么shén metime时候shí hòuto come来lái(yes/no ?)吗ma？

0801.3 Q: you你nǐnot不bùto be hungry饿è(yes/no ?)吗ma？ You are not hungry. What do you say?

• A. to / towards / correct对duì，I / me我wǒto be hungry饿è。
• B. to / towards / correct对duì，I / me我wǒnot不bùto be hungry饿è。
• C. not不bù，I / me我wǒnot不bùto be hungry饿è。
• D. (yes/no ?)吗ma，I / me我wǒnot不bùto be hungry饿è。

0801.4 Build: “Aren't you tired?”

Arrange all chunks: rope累lèi / (yes/no ?)吗ma？ / you你nǐ / not不bù

0801.5 Your friend mentions she's moving next week, and you can't quite believe it. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

… (suggestion)吧ba，… ；… (suggestion)吧ba，… (weighing options)

0802.1 Complete the dilemma: “If I eat it, I'll get fat; if I don't, I'll be hungry.” variant of 吃吃chī…………，can / will会huìfat胖pàng；不吃bù chī(suggestion)吧ba，can / will会huìto be hungry饿è。

0802.2 In to go去qù(suggestion)吧ba，太远tài yuǎn；不去bù qù(suggestion)吧ba，again又yòuwant / think / miss想xiǎngto go去qù, what does the speaker feel?

• A. Torn between two choices
• B. Sure about going
• C. Inviting a friend
• D. Happy to stay at home

0802.3 Build: “If I tell him, I'm afraid he'll be angry.”

Arrange all chunks: variant of 说说shuō(suggestion)吧ba / ， / to get angry生气shēng qì。 / to be afraid怕pàhe / him他tā

0802.4 In the dilemma pattern, (suggestion)吧ba means “let's”.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

0802.5 You can't choose between two jobs: one is near home, the other pays more. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

Sentence-final (modifier / structural particle)的de (modal: certainty)

0803.1 Reassure: “He'll definitely come.” he / him他tādefinitely一定yí dìngcan / will会huìto come来lái…………。

0803.2 Which sentence focuses on HOW a past event happened?

• A. 我会wǒ huìto go去qù(modifier / structural particle)的de。
• B. he / him他tāimprobable不会bú huìto forget忘wàng(modifier / structural particle)的de。
• C. I / me我wǒto be / is是shì坐火车zuò huǒ chēto come来lái(modifier / structural particle)的de。
• D. you你nǐcan / will会huìto like喜欢xǐ huan(modifier / structural particle)的de。

0803.3 Build: “Don't worry, I won't tell anyone.”

Arrange all chunks: ，I / me我wǒimprobable不会bú huì / to feel relieved放心fàng xīn / to tell告诉gào sùother people别人bié rén / (modifier / structural particle)的de。

0803.4 you你nǐcan / will会huìsuccess成功chéng gōng is wrong without (modifier / structural particle)的de.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

0803.5 Your friend is nervous about tomorrow's interview. You are sure it will go well. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

A fresh situation

R1. Interpret and repair. Someone asks you你nǐnot不bùto like喜欢xǐ huan(yes/no ?)吗ma？ A learner replies to / towards / correct对duì and assumes this means I like it. Explain the ambiguity and make the reply clear.

R2. Use it yourself. Ask whether a friend is free tomorrow and reply clearly that you are not.

Write your responses before opening the key. Compare meaning as well as form; a different valid answer need not copy the model.