是
shì
To be, yes
How to make tag questions in Chinese with 吗 (ma)
⋯⋯是 (shì)吗 (ma) / 对 (duì)吗 (ma) / 好 (hǎo)吗 (ma)?
吗 (ma) — tag questions
HSK 2Question Forms
⋯⋯是 (shì)吗 (ma) / 对 (duì)吗 (ma) / 好 (hǎo)吗 (ma)?
HSK 2Question Forms吗 (ma) — tag questions
Rule structure
Phrases such as 是吗 (shì ma), 对吗 (duì ma), and 好吗 (hǎo ma) are added to a statement as short confirmation questions. They check agreement, correctness, or acceptability of what was just said rather than forming a basic yes/no question.
Rule structure
Phrases such as 是吗 (shì ma), 对吗 (duì ma), and 好吗 (hǎo ma) are added to a statement as short confirmation questions. They check agreement, correctness, or acceptability of what was just said rather than forming a basic yes/no question.
Examples
很好，是吗？
Hěn hǎo, shì ma?
Great, isn't it?
今天很冷是吗？
Jīntiān hěn lěng shì ma?
It's very cold today, isn't it?
你喜欢这本书吗？
Nǐ xǐhuān zhè běnshū ma?
Do you like this book?
Examples
很好，是吗？
Hěn hǎo, shì ma?
Great, isn't it?
今天很冷是吗？
Jīntiān hěn lěng shì ma?
It's very cold today, isn't it?
你喜欢这本书吗？
Nǐ xǐhuān zhè běnshū ma?
Do you like this book?
Practice
Build the sentence
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Characters
Words from this rule
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “tag questions” in Chinese with 吗?
Use the structure: ⋯⋯是 (shì)吗 (ma) / 对 (duì)吗 (ma) / 好 (hǎo)吗 (ma)?. For example: 很好，是吗？ — “Great, isn't it?”.
What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?
很好，是吗？ — “Great, isn't it?”.
Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?
This grammar rule is part of HSK 2.
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More HSK 2 grammar rules
怎么 — asking why
怎么 (zěnme)⋯⋯？
是不是 — tag questions
⋯⋯是不是 (shì bu shì) / 对不对 (duì bu duì) / 好不好 (hǎo bu hǎo)?
不 — affirmative-negative question
Verb + 不 (bù) + Verb / Adj. + 不 (bù) + Adj.
不是……吗？ — rhetorical questions
不 (bù) 是 (shì)…… 吗 (ma)？
了 — already done
Subj. + Verb Phrase + 了 (le)
最 — superlative “most”
最 (zuì) + Adj. (+ 了 (le))
到 — direction with “to go to”
到 (dào) + Place + 去 (qù)
虽然 — although… but…
虽然 (suīrán)⋯⋯，但是 (dànshì) / 可是 (kěshì)⋯⋯