nǐ kěyǐ bǎ mén guān le ma?

Can you close the door?

Breakdown of nǐ kěyǐ bǎ mén guān le ma?

• 你nǐ: you
• 吗ma: question particle
• 了le: perfective particle
• 可以kěyǐ: can
• 把bǎ: disposal marker
• 门mén: door
• 关guān: to close

Questions & Answers about nǐ kěyǐ bǎ mén guān le ma?

Why is 把 used here?

• 把 lets you bring the affected object (门) in front of the verb to emphasize what happens to it.
• The pattern is: Subject + (modal) + 把
  • Object + Verb + result/aspect.
• Here, 把门关了 highlights the door being brought to the closed state, not just the action of “closing.”

Could I just say 你可以关门吗 instead?

• Yes. 你可以关门吗 is natural and common.
• Without 把, it’s a plain “close the door” request; it doesn’t foreground the result as strongly.
• With 把, you usually add a result marker like 了/上/好 to show the new state.

Why not say 你可以把门关吗?

• In 把-sentences, the verb typically needs a result or aspect to show the outcome. Bare 把门关 is incomplete.
• Use: 你可以把门关了吗 / 关上吗 / 关好吗.

What does 了 do here?

• This 了 (le) is the verbal/aspect 了 after the verb 关, marking a completed action or change of state: “make it closed.”
• In a request, 关了 can also carry a “now/already” nuance. It may sound a bit more pressing than forms without 了 (e.g., 关上/关一下).

Why is 了 before 吗? Are they related?

• 了 belongs to the verb phrase (关了). 吗 is a sentence-final question particle. They do different jobs and can co-occur: VP + 吗.
• You cannot put 吗 anywhere but the end; 了 stays with the verb.

What’s the difference between 关, 关上, 关好, and similar options?

• 关: close/turn off (basic verb).
• 关上: close shut (emphasizes reaching the shut position); very common with doors/windows.
• 关好: close properly/securely.
• For appliances/lights, prefer 关掉 (turn off), not used with doors. For doors, use 关/关上/关好.

Is 吗 the best choice here? What about 吧 or 好吗?

• 吗 makes a yes–no question: a polite request when paired with 可以/能.
• 吧 softens an imperative/suggestion: 把门关了吧 ≈ “Go ahead and close the door.”
• 好吗 / 行吗 adds a polite appeal: 把门关一下，好吗？ feels very courteous.

Difference between 可以 and 能 here? Which is more natural?

• 可以 often implies permission; 能 often implies ability/possibility. In requests, both work and both are polite.
• Very common patterns:
  • 你能把门关上吗？
  • 你可以把门关一下吗？
  • Choice is stylistic; 能不能… and 可不可以… are especially natural.

If I want to ask permission to close it myself, how should I say it?

• 我可以把门关上吗？
• 我把门关上，好吗？
• With 了: 我可以把门关了吗？ implies “Can I close it now (already)?”—slightly different nuance; 了 isn’t required for a simple permission question.

Where do words like 可以/能/请/麻烦 go in this structure?

• Typical order: Subject + modal (可以/能) + 把
  • object + verb + result/aspect + (particle).
• Examples:
  • 你可以把门关上吗？
  • 请把门关上。
  • 麻烦你把门关一下。
• Don’t put the modal after 把: avoid 你把门可以关上吗.

Why is there no measure word with 门 here? When would I use one?

• No measure word is needed because the door is specific/obvious in context.
• Use a classifier when you count or specify: 那一扇门 / 三扇门. With 把 you can say: 把那扇门关上.

How do I negate or say “don’t close the door”?

• Imperative negation: 别把门关了 / 别关门.
• Not yet (perfective negation): 我还没把门关呢。
• Yes–no past-like: 你把门关了没有？ (colloquial alternative to using 吗).

Are there other natural yes–no question formats besides 吗?

• A-not-A with the modal: 你可不可以把门关上？ / 你能不能把门关一下？
• Using 好吗/行吗: 把门关一下，好吗？
• Without 把: 你关不关门？ (more brusque).

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

• In fluent speech, third-tone sandhi applies:
  • 你可以 often sounds like ní kéyǐ (你 nǐ → ní; 可 kě → ké).
• A natural reading: ní kéyǐ bǎ mén guān le ma?
• 了 and 吗 are neutral tone here.

Does 关门 mean anything else I should be aware of?

• Yes. 关门 can also mean “be closed (for business).” Context disambiguates:
  • 商店关门了 = The shop is closed.
  • In a request like 你可以关门吗, it clearly means “close the door.”