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Cantonese grammar · A1

Question Marker '嗎'

Alexander StebnerCreator of Lingora · Updated 19 October 2026
2 min readComments

The particle (maa1māmaa1) is a question marker placed at the very end of a sentence. Its primary function is to turn a declarative statement into a yes/no question. While it is the standard way to form questions in Mandarin and Written Chinese, its role in spoken Hong Kong Cantonese is more specific, often reserved for formal contexts, fixed expressions, or rhetorical emphasis.

01

Formal and Written Contexts

In Hong Kong, (maa1māmaa1) is ubiquitous in written materials, such as newspapers, subtitles, and official documents. When used in speech, it imparts a formal, polite, or literary tone. You might hear it in formal speeches, song lyrics, or when someone is trying to be particularly polite and distant.

  • 你好嗎？

    nei5 hou2 maa1?néih hóu mā?nei5 hou2 maa1?

    How are you?

  • 這是真的嗎？

    ze2 si6 zan1·dik1 maa1?jé sih jān·dīk mā?dze2 si6 dzan1·dik7 maa1?

    Is this true?

02

Common Fixed Expressions

Despite its formal nature, (maa1māmaa1) appears in several common set phrases used in daily conversation. These are often short questions asking for permission, agreement, or confirmation, similar to asking "Okay?" or "Can you?" in English.

  • 得嗎？

    dak1 maa1?dāk mā?dak7 maa1?

    Is it okay? / Can you?

  • 好嗎？

    hou2·maa1?hóu·mā?hou2·maa1?

    Is that good? / Okay?

03

Rhetorical Usage

In spoken Cantonese, if (maa1māmaa1) is added to a full sentence, it often changes the nuance from a simple question to a rhetorical one. It can express doubt, surprise, or a challenge to the listener, implying that the speaker already has an opinion on the matter.

  • 你覺得公平嗎？

    nei5 gok3·dak1 gung1·ping4 maa1?néih gok·dāk gūng·pìhng mā?nei5 gok8·dak7 gung1·ping4 maa1?

    Do you think that is fair?

  • 你肯定嗎？

    nei5 hang2·ding6 maa1?néih háng·dihng mā?nei5 hang2·ding6 maa1?

    Are you sure?

04

Contrast with Daily Speech

It is important to note that for neutral, everyday questions, Cantonese speakers rarely use (maa1māmaa1). Instead, the "Verb-not-Verb" structure (e.g., haih m̀h·haih) or other sentence-final particles like (me1mēme1) are preferred. Using (maa1māmaa1) for simple daily inquiries (like "Have you eaten?") can make the speaker sound like they are reading from a textbook.

  • 你鍾意嗎？

    nei5 zung1·ji3 maa1?néih jūng·yi mā?nei5 dzung1·ji3 maa1?

    Do you like it? (Formal/Written style)

  • 你鍾唔鍾意呀？

    nei5 zung1 m4 zung1·ji3 aa3?néih jūng m̀h jūng·yi a?nei5 dzung1 m4 dzung1·ji3 aa3?

    Do you like it? (Natural spoken style)

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