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吗(ma) — meaning, uses and examples

1. modal particle question particle (turns a statement into a yes-no question)

   你是学生吗？

   Nǐ shì xuésheng ma?

   Are you a student?

2. modal particle 是吗/对吗: tag question after a statement (right?)

   你喜欢汉语，是吗？

   Nǐ xǐhuan Hànyǔ, shì ma?

   You like Chinese, right?

3. modal particle 好吗: asking for consent (okay?)

   请帮帮我，好吗？

   Qǐng bāngbang wǒ, hǎo ma?

   Please help me, okay?

4. modal particle particle reinforcing a rhetorical question

   难道你不知道吗？

   Nándào nǐ bù zhīdào ma?

   Don't tell me you don't know?

5. modal particle particle at a mid-sentence pause, introducing a topic

   这件衣服吗，我觉得有点贵。

   Zhè jiàn yīfu ma, wǒ juéde yǒudiǎn guì.

   As for this dress, I think it's a bit expensive.