Christa Posted January 19, 2018 at 08:32 PM Report Share Posted January 19, 2018 at 08:32 PM A friend of mine asked me for a translation of "好不好?" but, after I gave her one, she kept using it wrongly. Any idea of the best way to translate it? I'm thinking in particular about when you put it at the end of a sentence to check agreement. What is the closest English equivalent? "Okay?" / "Is that okay?" / "Is that alright?" / "Would that be alright with you?" What best captures its essence when it's put on the end of a sentence to check if someone agrees with an idea? Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted January 19, 2018 at 08:46 PM Report Share Posted January 19, 2018 at 08:46 PM I was taught to use ba 吧 Use it at the end of a sentence to indicate a suggestion or to get consent or agreement. The reply is hao ba 好吧 or bu hao 不好 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flickserve Posted January 19, 2018 at 09:49 PM Report Share Posted January 19, 2018 at 09:49 PM 1 hour ago, Christa said: "Is that okay?" / "Is that alright?" Either one of these two... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyJonesLocker Posted January 19, 2018 at 11:34 PM Report Share Posted January 19, 2018 at 11:34 PM As above. 好吧 And 好不好/好吗 wouldn't be the same though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy Lu Posted January 20, 2018 at 06:14 AM Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 at 06:14 AM Is that okay? or Is that alright? 这样可以吗？or 这样行吗？ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christa Posted January 20, 2018 at 10:23 AM Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 at 10:23 AM So, just to check everyone understood my question. Am I right in thinking that the option of everyone here is that a good translation for 好不好 at the end of a sentence would be: "Is that okay?" / "Is that alright?" Is that correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted January 20, 2018 at 10:39 AM Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 at 10:39 AM When you think of the individual meaning of the words that can give you a good idea of the overall meaning. hǎo bu hǎo 好不好 - good, not good. It follows the chinese question form of the positive and the negative to give you a choice. This helps to explain it https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Affirmative-negative_question 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Publius Posted January 20, 2018 at 12:47 PM Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 at 12:47 PM I used "what do you say" once. The answer I got was "what does the fox say." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcdefg Posted January 20, 2018 at 12:57 PM Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 at 12:57 PM 16 hours ago, Christa said: "Okay?" / "Is that okay?" / "Is that alright?" / "Would that be alright with you?" All of those look fine to me. 2 hours ago, Christa said: Am I right in thinking that the option of everyone here is that a good translation for 好不好 at the end of a sentence would be: "Is that okay?" / "Is that alright?" Correct, in my opinion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christa Posted January 20, 2018 at 04:10 PM Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 at 04:10 PM 3 hours ago, abcdefg said: All of those look fine to me. Thanks for that. I thought so too. My friend used it in really weird ways though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted January 20, 2018 at 06:08 PM Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 at 06:08 PM 1 hour ago, Christa said: My friend used it in really weird ways though. I am intrigued as to what weird ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
陳德聰 Posted January 21, 2018 at 02:55 AM Report Share Posted January 21, 2018 at 02:55 AM “How does that sound?” was the first thing that came to mind but I think the crux is that it is often just a mild way to ask how the other person feels about the suggestion, generally implying you are looking for or expecting the positive answer. Does your friend say it after commands? That’s not weird though... 不要醬子好不好 “Could you, like, not?” 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
889 Posted January 21, 2018 at 03:19 AM Report Share Posted January 21, 2018 at 03:19 AM Cudja stop with it, OK? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christa Posted January 21, 2018 at 07:43 PM Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2018 at 07:43 PM On 20/01/2018 at 6:08 PM, Shelley said: I am intrigued as to what weird ways. 16 hours ago, 陳德聰 said: Does your friend say it after commands? That’s not weird though... It was things like: 他们想去电影院，但是 我不想去。 好不好？ So, in English, based on the translation I'd given her, it seemed to her like it should be alright: "They want to go and see a movie but I don't wanna go. Is that okay?" My translation really wasn't a safe thing to give to her... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
陳德聰 Posted January 22, 2018 at 12:38 AM Report Share Posted January 22, 2018 at 12:38 AM I think just “okay?” is pretty fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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