1 · The basic sentence
The particle ne
asking back, and something still going on
Ne after a noun asks “and what about …?” or “where is …?”; at the end of a statement it marks something still going on.
After a noun or pronoun, 呢 hands the last question on to something new: 我很好，你呢？, “I’m fine — and you?”. Whatever was just said or asked is understood again, now about the new person or thing. It is short, friendly and very common.
Said out of the blue, a noun with 呢 asks where something is: 我的手机呢？, “where’s my phone?”. It is what people say when something they expected to see is missing.
At the end of a statement, 呢 marks a situation that is still going on, often together with 在: 他在睡觉呢, “he’s asleep”. It also softens a question that already has a question word, making it sound more involved: 你在做什么呢？, “what are you doing?”.
English speakers sometimes ask back with 吗, copying the question before — but “and you?” is always 你呢. Nor does 呢 turn a statement into a yes-no question: that is the job of 吗.
The form
| and you? | 我是英国人，你呢？ |
| where is …? | 我的钥匙呢？ |
| still going on | 他在上课呢。 |
| a softer question-word question | 你在想什么呢？ |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
After a noun or pronoun, ne asks the same question again about something new.
我喝茶，你呢？I'll have tea — what about you?
Without a question before it, a noun with ne asks where it is.
妈妈呢？Where's Mum?
At the end of a statement, ne marks something that is still going on.
别说话，孩子在睡觉呢。Keep your voice down — the child's asleep.
Ne can soften a question that has a question word, but it never makes a yes-no question.
你在哪儿呢？Where are you?
A closer look
Ne for an ongoing situation
With 在 or 正在 before the verb, 呢 at the end adds a sense of “right now, and still”: 他正在打电话呢, “he’s on the phone at the moment”. In speech 呢 can even do the job on its own: 他睡觉呢.
Together with 还 it says that something has not happened yet or is still the case: 我还没吃呢, “I haven’t eaten yet”. This pattern has its own topic later on.
How to spot it
- 呢
- 你呢
- 在…呢
Example sentences
我叫马丁，你呢？I'm Martin. And you?
我的眼镜呢？Where are my glasses?
爸爸在做饭呢。Dad is cooking.
今天我有空，明天呢？I'm free today. What about tomorrow?
你为什么不高兴呢？Why are you unhappy, then?
他还在开会呢。He is still in a meeting.
7 more example sentences
我是学生，你哥哥呢？I'm a student. What about your brother?
我的书包呢？刚才还在这儿。Where has my school bag gone? It was here a moment ago.
你在看什么呢？What are you reading?
老师在办公室等你呢。The teacher is waiting for you in the office.
这个周末我去爬山，你们呢？I'm going hiking this weekend. What about you?
小王呢？他怎么还没来？Where's Xiao Wang? Why isn't he here yet?
我喜欢春天，你呢？I like spring. How about you?
Worth knowing (1)
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Ne and ma side by side
你好吗？ asks a full question; 你呢？ hands it back. The two often follow each other in a greeting, and between them they show the difference in one breath.
我很好，谢谢。你呢？I'm fine, thanks. And you?
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
The question before was 你好吗？, so it is tempting to send 吗 back. But 吗 needs a whole statement in front of it; to hand a question back with only a name or a pronoun, Chinese uses 呢.
Noun plus ne asks “and what about …?” — or “where is …?” when nothing came before.
Your turn
8 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.