用"吗"提问

The 吗 question is the simplest and most common yes-or-no question in Chinese.

**What it means:** Adding 吗 at the end of any declarative sentence turns it into a yes/no question. The word order stays exactly the same as the original statement.

**When to use it:** Use 吗 when you want a simple yes or no answer, e.g., confirming whether something is true, whether someone is available, or whether a fact is correct.

**When NOT to use it:** - NEVER use 吗 together with question words like 什么, 谁, 哪儿, 怎么, 几, 多少. These words already make a question on their own. Adding 吗 is a classic learner error. - NEVER add 吗 to an A-not-A question (e.g., 去不去吗 is WRONG). - NEVER use 吗 in a 还是 choice question.

**Common mistakes:** - Saying 你去哪儿吗？ — WRONG. 哪儿 already forms a question; just say 你去哪儿？ - Saying 你去不去吗？ — WRONG. The A-not-A form is already a complete question.

**Comparison with A-not-A:** - 你累吗？ and 你累不累？ both ask the same thing, but A-not-A (累不累) sounds more natural in spoken Chinese. - Both are correct; 吗 is slightly more formal or written.