nǐ yào shuǐ ma?

Do you want water?

Breakdown of nǐ yào shuǐ ma?

• 你nǐ: you
• 吗ma: question particle
• 水shuǐ: water
• 要yào: to want

Questions & Answers about nǐ yào shuǐ ma?

What does the particle 吗 (ma) do?

• It turns a statement into a yes/no question. Statement: 你要水。Question: 你要水吗？
• It always goes at the end of the clause it questions.
• It is neutral tone (light and quick).
• Don’t confuse it with other syllables: 妈 mā (mom), 马 mǎ (horse), 骂 mà (scold).

Is 你要水吗？ natural?

• Yes, it’s grammatical and natural, especially when offering or confirming an item: Do you want water (as opposed to something else)?
• It can sound a bit direct. When offering politely, many speakers prefer softer forms like 你要不要喝水？ or 要不要喝点儿水？

Should I include the verb 喝 (hē, to drink)?

• Both are fine:
  • 你要水吗？ Do you want water? (object-focused; could be for drinking or another purpose depending on context)
  • 你要喝水吗？ Do you want to drink water? (explicitly about drinking; often more natural when offering a beverage)

What’s the difference between 要 (yào) and 想 (xiǎng)?

• 要: want/need; also used for plans or inevitability (be going to/must). It’s stronger and more immediate.
  • 我要水。I want water.
  • 我要去北京。I’m going to Beijing.
• 想: would like to/feel like; softer and more tentative.
  • 我想喝水。I’d like to drink water.
• Both can appear together: 想要 (xiǎngyào) = would like to want; common but sometimes redundant. 你想要水吗？ is fine and slightly softer.

Do I need a measure word with 水 (shuǐ, water)? How do I say “some water” or “a glass of water”?

• As a mass noun, 水 can appear without a measure when speaking generally: 你要水吗？
• To specify quantity or be more natural when offering:
  • 一杯水 (yì bēi shuǐ) a glass/cup of water
  • 一瓶水 (yì píng shuǐ) a bottle of water
  • 一壶水 (yì hú shuǐ) a pot of water
  • 一点(儿)水 (yìdiǎn(r) shuǐ) a little water
• Common offers:
  • 你要一杯水吗？ Do you want a glass of water?
  • 要不要喝点儿水？ Want to drink a bit of water?

How do I answer yes or no?

• Echo the verb rather than saying “yes/no” with 是.
  • Yes: 要。/ 好的。/ 要，谢谢。
  • No: 不要。/ 不用了，谢谢。 (No need, thanks.)
• To be extra clear: 我(不)要水。 or 我(不)想喝水。

Where does 吗 go?

• At the very end of the clause being questioned:
  • Correct: 你要水吗？
  • Incorrect: 你吗要水？ or 你要吗水？
• If the sentence has an embedded clause, 吗 attaches to the main clause’s end.

Can I ask a yes/no question without 吗?

• Yes, use the affirmative–negative pattern:
  • 你要不要(喝)水？ Do you want (to drink) water or not?
  • You can also echo the main verb: 你喝不喝水？ (more about the action of drinking than the item)
• Rising intonation alone is not the standard way to form yes/no questions in Mandarin; use 吗 or A–not–A patterns instead.

How do I pronounce the sentence? Any tone tips?

• 你 nǐ (3rd), 要 yào (4th), 水 shuǐ (3rd), 吗 ma (neutral).
• 你 is often a “half-third” (low dipping tendency, not a full rise).
• 水 is 3rd tone; think “shwěi.”
• 吗 is light and quick; don’t stress it.

Any tone sandhi to watch if I say 你想喝水吗？

• 你想 is 3rd + 3rd, so it becomes ní xiǎng (the first 3rd becomes a 2nd tone).
• 想喝 (3rd + 1st) stays as is.
• Full: ní xiǎng hē shuǐ ma?

Can I drop words like the subject or object?

• Yes, if clear from context:
  • 要水吗？ Want some water? (dropping 你)
  • 你要吗？ Do you want it? (dropping 水 when it’s obvious)
  • Even just 要吗？ if both sides know what’s being discussed.

How do I make it more polite or softer?

• Use 您, 请, and/or softeners like 点(儿), 吧:
  • 请问您要喝点儿水吗？
  • 喝点水吧。 (a gentle suggestion)
  • Service phrasing: 您要喝点儿什么？ (What would you like to drink?)

What’s the difference between 要 and 需要 (xūyào, need)?

• 要 = want/going to; 需要 = need/require.
  • 你需要水吗？ Do you need water? (necessity)
  • 你要水吗？ Do you want water? (preference/desire)
• In service contexts, 需要 can sound polite and professional.

How do I offer a choice like “Water or tea?”

• Use 还是 (háishì) in questions:
  • 你要水还是茶？ Do you want water or tea?
• Use 或者 (huòzhě) in statements:
  • 你可以喝水或者茶。 You can drink water or tea.

What’s the difference between 吗 and 吧 (ba)?

• 吗 marks a neutral yes/no question: 你要水吗？
• 吧 often indicates a suggestion or an assumption:
  • Suggestion: 喝点水吧。 Have some water.
  • Assumed question: 你要水吧？ You want water, right? (expecting “yes”)

How is this written in Traditional Chinese?

• 你要水嗎？ (Only 吗 changes to 嗎; pinyin and pronunciation stay the same.)

Could this sentence mean something other than drinking?

• Yes. Without 喝, 你要水吗？ can mean “Do you want water?” for any purpose (washing, cooking, watering plants, etc.). If you mean drinking specifically, say 你要喝水吗？ or 要不要喝点儿水？