nǐ lái ma?

Are you coming?

Breakdown of nǐ lái ma?

• 你nǐ: you
• 吗ma: question particle
• 来lái: to come

Questions & Answers about nǐ lái ma?

What does the particle 吗 do here?

It turns the statement 你来 (you come) into a yes/no question. It must go at the end of the clause. Without 吗, 你来 is a statement or a command.

Can I just say 你来？ with a rising tone instead of using 吗?

Yes, in casual speech a rising tone on 你来 can imply a yes/no question, but it’s more abrupt. Using 吗 is neutral and standard, especially in writing.

How do I answer this question naturally?

Use the verb, not “yes/no.”

• Affirmative: 来。/ 我来。/ 会来的。
• Negative: 不来。/ 我不来。 Avoid answering with just 是/不是.

What’s the difference between 你来吗 and 你来不来?

你来吗 is a neutral yes/no question. 你来不来 (A-not-A pattern) pushes for a clear decision and can feel more insistent or impatient.

How is 你来吗 different from 你会来吗, 你能来吗, and 你要来吗?

• 你会来吗: likelihood/plan (“Will you come?”).
• 你能来吗: ability/feasibility (“Are you able to come?”).
• 你要来吗: desire/intention or invitation (“Do you want to come?”).
• 你来吗: plain yes/no (“Are you coming?”), neutral about reason.

When do I use 来 vs 去?

来 = toward the speaker (or where the speaker will be). 去 = away from the speaker.

• If I will be at the event: 你来吗？
• If I won’t be there: 你去吗？ With places: 我在北京 → 你来北京吗？; 我不在北京 → 你去北京吗？

Is there any tone sandhi or special pronunciation?

• 你 nǐ: third tone, often a low “half-third” when not final.
• 来 lái: second tone.
• 吗 ma: neutral tone (no tone mark). Don’t pronounce it as mā. There may be slight rising intonation overall, but grammar is marked by 吗.

Is 你来吗 polite enough?

It’s neutral but can feel blunt without context. To soften:

• 您来吗？ (respectful)
• 您方便来吗？/ 你能来吗？ (more polite/softer)
• 你要不要来？ (friendly invitation; more casual)

Can I drop 你?

Yes, if context is clear: 来吗？ In group chats it can mean “Are you (guys) coming?” For a single person, make sure it isn’t ambiguous.

Where do time and place go?

Typical order: Subject + Time + Place + Verb (+ 吗)

• 你明天来公司吗？
• 你今晚到我家来吗？ Time usually precedes place.

Can 吗 go with question words like 谁/什么/哪儿?

No. Don’t combine 吗 with wh-words. Use either:

• 谁来？ (Who is coming?)
• 你来吗？ (Are you coming?) “谁来吗？” is ungrammatical.

What’s the difference between 你来吗 and 你来了吗?

• 你来吗？ Are you coming? (future/plan)
• 你来了吗？ Have you arrived/Did you come? (completion with 了)

How do I say “Aren’t you coming?” or “Didn’t you come?”

• Aren’t you coming? 你不来吗？ (speaker expected you to come)
• Didn’t you come? 你没来吗？ (past-time surprise)

What about final particles like 吧, 呢, and 嘛?

• 吧: suggestion/soft command. 你来吧。 = “Come, okay?” 你来吧？ can be a tentative check (tone matters).
• 呢: topic follow-up. 我来。你呢？ = “I’ll come. What about you?”
• 嘛: explanatory/“you know.” Not the yes/no particle. Don’t confuse with 吗.

Is 吗 the same as 嘛? And what about traditional vs simplified?

• 吗 (neutral tone) = yes/no question particle.
• 嘛 (neutral tone) = “you know/after all” particle; not for yes/no questions.
• Traditional form of 吗 is 嗎; usage is the same.

Any quick texting patterns for this?

Common:

• 你来吗？
• 来/不来
• 可能来/晚点来
• 你来不来？ Short replies usually repeat the verb rather than using “yes/no.”