Learn Hardcore Chinese: nǐ juéde zhè gè wèntí zhòngyào ma?

觉得 (juéde) = “to feel; to think” based on personal impression. Very common in everyday speech.
认为 (rènwéi) = “to consider; to hold the view that,” more formal/analytical, common in writing or careful speech.
以为 (yǐwéi) = “to think (but turn out to be wrong).” Often implies a mistaken assumption.

Examples:

我觉得这个问题重要。(Wǒ juéde zhège wèntí zhòngyào.) I feel it’s important.
我认为这个问题很重要。(Wǒ rènwéi zhège wèntí hěn zhòngyào.) I consider it very important. (more formal)
我以为这个问题不重要，结果我错了。(Wǒ yǐwéi zhège wèntí bù zhòngyào, jiéguǒ wǒ cuò le.) I thought it wasn’t important, but I was wrong.

Why isn’t there 是 before 重要?

In Chinese, adjectives can be predicates by themselves. So you say 这个问题重要 (This issue is important), not with 是. After 觉得, you can directly use the adjective: 你觉得…重要吗？

Avoid: 你觉得这个问题是重要吗？ (unnatural in most contexts)
You can use 是 for emphasis/contrast or in patterns like 是不是 (see below), but it’s not needed before adjectives in basic statements.

Do I need 很 before 重要?

In neutral statements, adjectives are often preceded by a “degree adverb” like 很 to avoid sounding contrastive/comparative: 这个问题很重要.
In yes–no questions and especially after 觉得, it’s fine to omit it: 你觉得这个问题重要吗？
If you add degree, you’re asking about how strong the importance is: 你觉得这个问题很/非常/特别重要吗？

What does 吗 do here, and what are other natural ways to ask this yes–no question?

吗 (ma) turns a statement into a yes–no question: 你觉得这个问题重要吗？
A–not–A pattern: 你觉得这个问题重不重要？ (zhòng-bu-zhòngyào) Feels crisp and is very common.
是不是 pattern: 你觉得这个问题是不是很重要？ Slightly more leading, often expects confirmation; 很 is natural here.
Intonation alone (without a particle/pattern) is not standard for yes–no questions in Mandarin.

Why is 个 used after 这? Can I say 这问题?

Chinese uses classifiers between demonstratives/numerals and nouns. 这 + 个 + 问题 = 这个问题 (this question/issue). The default classifier for 问题 is 个.

这问题 appears in headlines or some dialects but is nonstandard in everyday Mandarin. Use 这个问题.
For “this matter,” you would use 这件事 (classifier 件 for 事/事情).

How do I pronounce 这个? Is 个 neutral here, and is 这 ever pronounced zhèi?

Standard careful reading: zhè gè (gè = fourth tone).
Very common colloquial: zhèi ge (这 pronounced “zhèi”; 个 often neutral: “ge”).
Both are acceptable in modern spoken Mandarin.
Tone tip: 一个问题 is pronounced yí ge wèntí (yí due to tone sandhi on 一; 个 often neutral).

How do I pronounce 觉得 correctly? What tone is 得 here?

觉得 is pronounced juéde: jué (second tone) + de (neutral tone).
The second syllable is written with 得, but here it’s part of the verb and pronounced neutral.
Don’t confuse:
- 的 (de): links modifiers to nouns (漂亮的衣服).
- 地 (de): links adverbs to verbs (认真地学).
- 得 (de): introduces complements (说得很好). In 觉得, it’s just the second syllable of the verb.

Can I move 这个问题 to the front: 这个问题你觉得重要吗?

Yes. Chinese often front the topic:

这个问题你觉得重要吗？
你觉得这个问题重要吗？ Both are natural; the first highlights the topic “this issue.”

What changes if I remove 你觉得 and just ask 这个问题重要吗?

这个问题重要吗？ asks about the objective status of the issue (is it important?).
你觉得这个问题重要吗？ explicitly asks for the listener’s opinion (do you think it’s important?).

Does 问题 mean “question” or “problem”? How is it different from 题 or 事/事情?

问题 (wèntí) = question (to be answered) or problem/issue (to be solved): 这个系统有问题 (There’s a problem with this system).
题 (tí) = an exam/exercise question or item: 数学题 (math problems).
事/事情 (shì/shìqíng) = matter/affair/event: 这件事很重要 (This matter is important).

How do I answer this naturally?

Affirm: 我觉得重要。/ 我觉得很重要。/ 我觉得非常重要。 (Wǒ juéde zhòngyào/hěn zhòngyào/fēicháng zhòngyào.)
Negate: 我觉得不重要。/ 不太重要。 (Wǒ juéde bù zhòngyào / bú tài zhòngyào.)
- Tone sandhi: 不重要 is pronounced bú zhòngyào.
Hedge: 看情况。/ 还行吧。/ 一般般。

How can I make this more polite or formal?

Use 您: 您觉得这个问题重要吗？
More formal verb: 您认为这个问题重要吗？
Add a softener: 请问，您觉得…？

What’s the Traditional Chinese version of this sentence?

你覺得這個問題重要嗎？ (Pinyin and pronunciation are the same.)

Should there be 的 anywhere here? When do I use 重要的?

Not in this sentence. 的 links modifiers to nouns. Here 重要 is a predicate adjective. Use 重要的 when it directly modifies a noun:

重要的问题 (an important question/issue)
But as a predicate: 这个问题很重要。/ 你觉得这个问题重要吗？