nǐ huì xiě wǒ de míngzi ma?

Can you write my name?

Breakdown of nǐ huì xiě wǒ de míngzi ma?

• 我wǒ: I
• 你nǐ: you
• 吗ma: question particle
• 名字míngzi: name
• 的de: possessive particle
• 写xiě: to write
• 会huì: know how to

Questions & Answers about nǐ huì xiě wǒ de míngzi ma?

Does 会 (huì) here mean can or will?

Here it means “know how to; have learned ability.” You’re asking whether the person knows how to write the characters of your name. If you want “will/are you willing to,” use wording that asks about willingness or permission, e.g., 你愿意写一下我的名字吗？ or 你可以帮我写一下我的名字吗？

What is the word order and role of each part?

Subject + modal + verb + object + question particle:

• 你 (you) + 会 (know how to) + 写 (write) + 我的名字 (my name) + 吗 (yes–no question marker)

Can I use 能 (néng) or 可以 (kěyǐ) instead of 会? What changes?

• 会: learned skill/ability (“know how to”). Most natural here.
• 能: ability due to circumstances/conditions (“be able to right now”), sometimes physical capability.
• 可以: permission/possibility (“may/is it okay”). Often used to make a polite request.
  Examples:
• 你能写我的名字吗？ Are you able to (e.g., do you have time/hands free)?
• 你可以写我的名字吗？ Is it okay/would you (polite request)?

Can I ask this without using 吗?

Yes. Use an A-not-A pattern:

• 你会不会写我的名字？
• 你能不能写我的名字？
  Note: 你写不写我的名字？ asks about willingness/decision to write, not about ability.

Why is 的 (de) between 我 and 名字? Can I drop it?

的 marks possession. 我的名字 = “my name.” With 名字, you normally keep 的. Omitting it (我名字) sounds unnatural. Dropping 的 is common with close kinship terms or set phrases (e.g., 我妈妈), but not with 名字.

Where does 吗 go?

At the end of the sentence.
Correct: 你会写我的名字吗？
Don’t place 吗 after 会 or 写. If you use A-not-A or a question word, do not add 吗.

Any pronunciation or tone tips for this sentence?

Pinyin: nǐ huì xiě wǒ de míngzi ma?

• Third-tone sandhi: xiě (3) + wǒ (3) → pronounce as rising + low: xié wǒ.
• 的, 字, 吗 are neutral tone here: de, zi, ma.
• So a natural flow is: nǐ huì xié wǒ de míngzi ma?

Do I need a measure word here?

Not in this sentence. If you say “one name,” use 一个名字. For “full name,” say 全名 (e.g., 写我的全名).

I actually want to ask politely “Could you write my name (for me)?” How should I say it?

Use softeners like 请, 麻烦, 一下, 帮:

• 麻烦你写一下我的名字。
• 你可以帮我写一下我的名字吗？
• 请你把我的名字写下来，好吗？
  If you already say 给我/帮我, you can often drop 我的: 你可以帮我写一下名字吗？

How do I say “write down,” “write out,” or “copy” my name?

• 写下/写下来: write down (record somewhere).
  
  • 你能把我的名字写下来吗？
• 写出来: write out (produce from memory).
  
  • 你会把我的名字写出来吗？
• 抄/抄写: copy.
  
  • 你能把我的名字抄一下吗？

What if I mean “spell my name” in letters (e.g., English)?

Use 拼/拼写:

• 你能拼写我的名字吗？
• 你能把我的名字拼出来吗？
  If you mean pinyin: 你会用拼音写我的名字吗？

How do people usually answer this question?

• Yes: 会。/ 我会。/ 我会写。
• No: 不会。
• Not sure/partial: 我不太会。/ 我不知道怎么写。
  Follow-ups: 你的名字怎么写？/ 你叫什么名字？

Is there a more polite version with 您?

Yes:

• 您会写我的名字吗？
• More natural as a request: 您可以帮我写一下我的名字吗？

Can I front the object for emphasis?

Yes: 我的名字你会写吗？ This emphasizes “my name.” Meaning stays the same.

Any difference between simplified and traditional characters?

Traditional: 你會寫我的名字嗎？
Everything else (word order, usage) is the same.

Can I omit 我的 if I already say 给我?

Yes. 你可以给我写一下名字吗？ is natural, because 给我 already shows whose name is being written. Avoid redundancy like 给我写我的名字 unless you need extra clarity.

Can I just use rising intonation like in English to make it a question?

In standard Mandarin, yes–no questions normally use 吗 or an A-not-A form. Rising intonation alone is not the standard way to mark a question, though in very casual speech you may hear it. For learners, stick to 吗 or A-not-A.