"你是中国人吗？"
Translation:Are you Chinese?
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This might be a Duolingo preference on preferred grammatical structure, but couldn't 'You are Chinese?' be correct as well? It was marked incorrect when I typed it in.
When you are asking something you have to put "are" first. Aren't you a native english speaker?
"You are Chinese?" is a legitimate English question, so English speakers may try it because they are trying to translate literally, but it is the wrong question, because it assumes that you have told me already that you are but either I am checking if I heard you correctly or I am surprised that you are Chinese. So, since the Chinese question is actually asking if you are and not verifying that you are, we must use the regular English question "Are you Chinese?"
I had the same issue. You are Chinese? seemed okay to me. I've had the same problem with "You also are" instead of "You are also" both seem grammatically correct in English.
For the same reason "Are you Chinese girls?" seems incorrect.
I already know you are people, or girls, or men or prisoners or whatever. All I'm enquiring about is your nationality.
Hence "Are you Chinese?"
I have same issue. But I typed "Are you a Chinese? Then, duolingo marked incorrect. What's wrong??
Chinese is an adjective in English, so to use "a" you would have to add "person", "man" or "woman". The last two cannot be implied from the Chinese question, so I do not know if they would be accepted.
"Are you Chinese?" seems like the same as asking, "aren't you Chinese", but it's not. It may seem like a small thing, but this is good to know.
These questions should be different situationally, and depending on context. The 2nd form implies that you've assumed they are Chinese. "Are you a man?", "Aren't you a man??". Think about the difference.
Is it just me or has duolingo just moved me onto this and i can translate and write but NOT pronounce it
The pronunciation on Duolingo is sometimes very lackluster, especially the woman in the later lessons. Idk if it's because both speakers are from different areas, so different dialect? But I am constantly checking on other websites to make sure I'm getting the most accurate sound. Be careful and make sure to study teachers on youtube as well.
Are you Chinese? Are you also Chinese. What is the difference? You are Chinese is a statement, not a question.
I tried imputing "aren't you chinese?" and it was not the correct solution. I am not a native English speaker, but I thought "aren't you x?" was a valid way to ask something.
It is a valid English question, but it is not a correct translation of this Chinese question which is not a negative question. "Are you Chinese?" is the correct translation.
Yeah, I later found a negative mandarin question (something along "ni bu shi lao shi ma?" I guess), so the language differentiates between questions and negative questions. Thanks for replying!
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This is wrong! "Are you Chinese?" Should be "你是华人吗?". 中国人 is specific to someone from China.
Oh there are more than two. The tone of voice makes 4 different words. Go to the web version of Duolingo and click on each lesson and then click on Tips.
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My answer :"you are Chinese right?' was rejected and the right answer is:"Are you Chinese?" Another inconsistency here, some time "吗" is translated to be "right", some other times just being omitted like this exercise. Which is which please.
吗 should not be translated as "right", that is simply not correct. It is a question particle without a meaning.
For "right?", you have "对吗?" or "对不对?".
Of course, we all know about the inconsistencies on Duolingo, but better not learn 吗 with any meaning - other than a question mark.
These speakers talk like they just snorted a line or guzzled a whole pot of coffee before they hit the record button.