mfchung Posted March 5, 2006 at 11:12 AM Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 at 11:12 AM help... I'm really cofused about 吗 and 呢. I'm trying to figure out when I can use one or the other. for instance I can say :- 你做吗？- you going to do it? - normal question 你做呢？- you doing it? - rhetorical question But I can't say :- 你吃呢？ I don't know why I can use 呢 in some places and not others. I also don't understand how 呢 is used. It seems to be a rhetorical question sometimes and not others. Like... if someone asks. 你好. 我好你呢？ The 呢 here is not rhetorical at all since it demands an answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quest Posted March 5, 2006 at 04:36 PM Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 at 04:36 PM for instance I can say :-你做吗？- you going to do it? - normal question 你做呢？- you doing it? - rhetorical question But I can't say :- 你吃呢？ 你做吗? is a weird sentence. 你做呢? is wrong. I think ma is for yes and no questions. ne demands an explanation/answer, so more open ended. (I could be wrong to summarize them like that, I just went through a few scenarios in my head, and it seemed like that ---> wait for better answers) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amego Posted March 5, 2006 at 05:41 PM Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 at 05:41 PM Hi, that's what my dict says...(pardon me for any lousy translations ) 呢 1) 〔助词〕 表示疑问，用于特指问句，句中有疑问词“谁，什么，怎么，哪”等：你找谁呢？| 他怎么不回家呢？| 他们吵架到底为了什么呢？| 昨天你上哪儿去了呢？【注意】 a) 句中有了疑问句，也可以不用“呢”，例如“你找谁？”B) 句中也可以不用疑问词，例如“我的字典呢？”意思是字典不知放在什么地方了。又例如，“他受伤以后呢？” 意思是问受伤以后怎么样。 Used when questioning, after words like "who, what, how, where": Who are you looking for? | Why is he not going home? | Why on earth are they quarreling? | Where did you go yesterday? NOTE a) “呢”may be omitted when question words are present. B) Question words may be absent. 2) 〔助词〕 表示疑问，用于选择文句：你吃面条呢，还是面包呢？| 你是看电影呢，还是看话剧呢？| 你喜欢听京戏呢，还是喜欢听昆曲呢？【注意】 全句终了时也可以不用“呢”。 Used when introducing alternatives: Are you having noodles or bread? | Are you watching movie or drama? NOTE “呢”may be omitted at the end of the sentence. 3) 〔助词〕 表示疑问，用于肯定和否定的选择：你到底同不同意呢？| 他这样做好不好呢？ Used in affirmative and negative alternatives (???): Do you agree ornot? | Do you think he did the right thing? 4) 〔助词〕 用于反问：何必大惊小怪呢？| 我们怎么没有听说过呢？我哪里知道会出这么大的问题呢？ 【注意】 是非文句不能用呢，例如不能说“今天是星期一呢？” Used at the end of an interrogative sentence: Why are you making a fuss over such minor issues? | How come we've never heard of it? | How do I know such big problem will arise? NOTE "呢" can't be used in yes-no sentences. 5) 〔助词〕 用于陈述句，表示指明事实，语气略带夸张：她唱歌可好呢 | 春节庙会上人多得很呢 | 京剧晚场七点半钟才开罗呢。 Used at the end of a declarative sentence to conform a fact: She can sing really well. | Many will attend the festival tonight. | The show will only start at 7.30 pm. 6) 〔助词〕 用于陈述句，表示持续状态：他关在屋里写文章呢 | 她正在后台化妆呢 | 外头下着大雪呢。 Used at the end of a declarative sentence,indicating the notion that an action or situation is in progress. He is locking himself up at home writting essays. | She is at the backstage putting on her make-up. | Its snowing outside now. 7) 〔助词〕 用在句中停顿的地方，表示例举或对举：如今呢，比以前的生活好多了 | 这几个同学都喜欢文学创作。小张呢，喜欢写诗；小王呢，喜欢写小说；小李呢，喜欢写散文。 Used to indicate a pause: Life is getting better now. | These students all like literature pieces. Zhang likes to write poems; Wang likes writing fictions; as for Li, he likes to write essays. 你做呢？- you doing it? - rhetorical question Hmmm should be 你做啊？ "You are doing it?" Take note that 你做呢，还是他做？ means "Are you doing it or him? Hope its helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yingqun Posted March 6, 2006 at 11:48 AM Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 at 11:48 AM How about this... ni du ji er ma? => are you hungry? wo du ji er, ni ner? => I am hungry. How about you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hakkaboy Posted March 6, 2006 at 03:52 PM Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 at 03:52 PM 呢 has different meanings in Kunming dialect according to my dictionry of KM dialect, broadly correspoding to 的地得 我呢书 = my book 是红呢 = it's read 慢慢呢吃 = eat slowly, enjoy your food 说呢很好= speak well In KM dialect 呢 is a 1st tone pronounced 44 in terms of tone value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timkunming Posted March 9, 2006 at 09:33 AM Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 at 09:33 AM Hakkaboy, I've also heard it used like this: it's practically a replacement of 的 it seems. But then again I'm not nearly the linguist you are I've often heard it used in many ways like this: such as "ni ne pengyou ne?" of things like that. I had never noticed it was said with the first tone - I'll have to keep my ears open for it! On another interesting note, the other evening I went to buy yogurt from the local shop downstairs in my building. I asked for "suan nai" and the owner said in heavy Kunming dialect, "Suah leh gah?" So now I've discovered Kunming dialect for yogurt. Very happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and select your username and password later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.