1. 是不是(Is it or not?)
English meaning:
A common way to form questions in Chinese is to first use a
verb in the positive, then repeat the same verb in its negative
form, similar to how in English we can say, "Do you have
money or not?" This sentence pattern feels a lot more natural
in Chinese than those admittedly awkward English
equivalents, however.
Structure:
Verb + 不 + Verb
2. A:你現在是不是住美國？
A: Nǐ xiànzài shì bùshì zhù měiguó?
A: Are you living in the United States now?
B:不，我現在不住美國，我現在住台灣。
B:Bù, wǒ xiànzài bù zhù měiguó, wǒ xiànzài zhù táiwān.
B:No, I don't live in the United States now, I live in Taiwan now.
是不是(Is it or not?)
3. A:她是不是中國人？
A: Tā shì bùshì zhōngguó rén?
A: Is she a Chinese?
B: 不，她不是中國人，是日本人。
B: Bù, tā bùshì zhōngguó rén, shì rìběn rén.
B: No, she is not a Chinese, she is a Japanese.
是不是(Is it or not?)
4. A:他是不是老師？
A: Tā shì bùshì lǎoshī?
A: Is he a teacher?
B: 不，他不是老師，是學生。
B: Bù, tā bùshì lǎoshī, shì xuéshēng.
B: No, he isn’t a teacher, he is a student.
是不是(Is it or not?)
6. A:你是不是老師？
A: Nǐ shì bùshì lǎoshī?
A: Are you a teacher?
B:不是，我是學生。
B: Bùshì, wǒ shì xuéshēng.
B: No, I’m not. I’m a student.
A:你是不是台灣人？
A: Nǐ shì bùshì táiwān rén?
A: Are you a Taiwanese?
B:是，我是台灣人。
B: Shì, wǒ shì táiwān rén.
B: Yes, I am. I’m a Taiwanese.
是不是(Is it or not?)
