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nǐ juéde zhè gè wèntí zhòngyào ma?

你nǐ　觉得juéde　这zhè　个gè　问题wèntí　重要zhòngyào　吗ma？nǐ juéde zhè gè wèntí zhòngyào ma?
Do you think this question is important?
FromLesson 6inHardcore Chinese
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Questions & Answers about nǐ juéde zhè gè wèntí zhòngyào ma?

What does 觉得 really mean here? How is it different from 认为 or 以为?
  • 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？

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