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不是…吗？

Rhetorical question: isn't it (the case that)…?

HSK 4HSK 3.0 · 3

S + 不是 + V/N… + 吗？

不是…吗 reminds the listener of something the speaker considers obvious, often with surprise or mild reproach: 你不是说今天不来吗？怎么来了？ 'didn't you say you weren't coming today?'. The real meaning is affirmative: 我不是告诉过你了吗 = I already told you. Unlike 是不是 (a genuine request for confirmation), 不是…吗 expects no answer. It often reveals the speaker's attitude in listening tasks.

HSK 4–5 listening (speaker's attitude or real meaning).

Examples

  • 你不是说今天不来吗？怎么来了？

    Didn't you say you weren't coming today? Why are you here?

  • 这不是你的书吗？

    Isn't this your book?

  • 我不是告诉过你了吗？

    Didn't I already tell you?

  • 你不是喜欢吃辣的吗？尝尝这个。

    Don't you like spicy food? Try this.

Exercises

  1. 1.你 去上海出差了吗？怎么还在这儿？

  2. 2.“我不是告诉过你了吗？”的意思是：

  3. 3.这不是你昨天买的那本书 ？

  4. 4.——明天我们几点见？—— ？八点，你又忘了！

More grammar points