Yes/No Questions with Sentence-Final 無 — Taiwanese Hokkien Grammar

The second way to ask a yes/no question: say the statement exactly as it is, and add (--bô--bô--bo5) at the end. Nothing inside the sentence moves.

你好無？
lí hó --bôlí hó --bôli2 ho2 --bo5
How are you?
你佇咧睏無？
lí tī-leh khùn --bôlí tī-leh khùn --bôli2 ti7-leh4 khun3 --bo5
Are you sleeping?

Literally 'Or Not'

This is the same word as the negator (bôbôbo5), and the logic is … or not?. Here it is toneless, written --bô, and it does a completely different job: it asks the question rather than answering it in the negative.

你有聽過這个樂團無？
lí ū thiann --kuè tsit ê ga̍k-thuân --bôlí ū thiaⁿ --kòe chit ê ga̍k-thoân --bôli2 u7 thiann1 --kue3 tsit4 e5 gak8-thuan5 --bo5
Have you heard of this band?
恁逐家有看著無？
lín ta̍k-ke ū khuànn --tio̍h --bôlín ta̍k-ke ū khoàⁿ --tio̍h --bôlin2 tak8-ke1 u7 khuann3 --tioh8 --bo5
Did you all see it?

Offers and Suggestions

Final (--bô--bô--bo5) is softer than (kámkámkam2) and is the natural choice for proposing something or asking a favour — it leaves the other person room to decline.

咱去看電影好無？
lán khì khuànn tiān-iánn hó --bôlán khì khoàⁿ tiān-iáⁿ hó --bôlan2 khi3 khuann3 tian7-iann2 ho2 --bo5
Shall we go and see a film?
會使較俗無？
ē-sái khah sio̍k --bôē-sái khah sio̍k --bôe7-sai2 khah4 siok8 --bo5
Could it be a bit cheaper?

好無 — Shall We?

(hó --bôhó --bôho2 --bo5), literally good or not, is a set phrase tacked onto a proposal to mean all right? or shall we?. It is one of the most useful things to have ready, since it turns any statement of intent into a polite suggestion.

Choosing Between 敢 and 無

Both are neutral questions and either is usually acceptable. (kámkámkam2) flags the question from the start, which suits a direct enquiry; final (--bô--bô--bo5) keeps the sentence looking like a statement until the last syllable, which suits invitations. What you must not do is use both in one sentence. Answer either kind by echoing the verb, not with a word for yes.

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