难道……吗 · 能……吗
surely not…? how could…? (a question that expects the opposite answer)
Structure
难道 …… 吗 ？ · （这么……），主语 + 能 + 动词 + 吗 ？
What it means
Strong questions that expect the opposite answer: 难道……吗 “don’t tell me…? surely…!”, and 能……吗 “how could…?”
How it is built
难道 (at the start or after the subject) + statement + 吗？: 难道你不认识我了吗？ (Surely you recognise me!). (这么／那么……)，subject + 能 + verb + 吗？: 声音那么大，我能睡好吗？
When to use it
A plain 吗 question asks; these argue a point. A negative 难道 question means “yes, of course”, and 能……吗 means “no, impossible”: 这么多菜，两个人能吃完吗？
Watch out
Both sound strong, even challenging, so keep them for people you know well. With 难道, the sentence usually ends in 吗.
Examples
难道你不认识我了吗？
Don’t tell me you don’t recognise me!
他是你哥哥，难道你不了解他吗？
He’s your brother. Surely you know what he’s like?
这么多菜，两个人能吃完吗？
All these dishes? How could two people possibly finish them?
外面这么吵，你能睡好吗？
With all this noise outside, how can you sleep?
Learn this in HSK 3 · Lesson 21: 吵架 (An argument)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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