Chinese Short Answers: Using 是, 有, and 会 Instead of Repeating the Whole Sentence
Learn to answer yes/no questions in Mandarin with short replies like 是, 有, 会, and 不, instead of repeating the full sentence. Includes pinyin, dialogue, and common mistakes.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In English, you often answer a yes/no question with a short reply using an auxiliary verb: 'Do you like tea?' 'Yes, I do.' Mandarin does not have auxiliary verbs like 'do' or 'does'. Instead, Mandarin forms short answers by repeating the main verb, or by using a small set of common verbs such as 是 (shì, to be), 有 (yǒu, to have), and 会 (huì, can/know how to). For negation, you usually add 不 (bù) or 没 (méi) before the verb. This lesson teaches you how to give natural, concise answers in everyday conversation without repeating the whole question. You will practice positive and negative short answers, and learn when a simple 是 or 不 is enough.
By the end, you can…
- answer yes/no questions in Mandarin with a short verb reply instead of repeating the full sentence.
- form negative short answers using 不 or 没 with the correct verb.
- use 是, 有, and 会 correctly in short answers.
- recognize when a simple 是 or 不 is natural in conversation.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
是。
Yes. (It is.)
shì
Use as a short answer to a question with 是, such as 你是学生吗？(Nǐ shì xuésheng ma? Are you a student?) Reply 是。
不是。
No. (It is not.)
bú shì
Negative short answer to a 是 question. 不 is pronounced bú before a fourth-tone syllable like shì.
有。
Yes, I have. / There is.
yǒu
Short answer to a 有 question, such as 你有时间吗？(Nǐ yǒu shíjiān ma? Do you have time?)
没有。
No, I don't have. / There isn't.
méi yǒu
Negative short answer to a 有 question. Use 没, not 不, before 有.
会。
Yes, I can. / I know how to.
huì
Short answer to a 会 question about ability or learned skill, such as 你会说中文吗？(Nǐ huì shuō Zhōngwén ma? Can you speak Chinese?)
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Mandarin short answers usually repeat the main verb of the question. For a question with 是 (shì, to be), answer 是 (shì) or 不是 (bú shì). For a question with 有 (yǒu, to have), answer 有 (yǒu) or 没有 (méi yǒu). For a question with 会 (huì, can), answer 会 (huì) or 不会 (bú huì). For other action verbs, you can often repeat the verb: 你去吗？(Nǐ qù ma? Are you going?) 去。(Qù. Yes, I'm going.) Negative: 不去。(Bú qù. No, I'm not going.) This is different from English, which uses 'do' or 'does'. In Mandarin, the verb itself carries the answer.
When to use it
Use short answers in casual conversation when the question is clear and you do not need to add new information. For example, 你喝茶吗？(Nǐ hē chá ma? Do you drink tea?) 喝。(Hē. Yes, I do.) If you want to be more polite or explicit, you can add a little: 喝，谢谢。(Hē, xièxie. Yes, thanks.) For negative answers, 不 alone can sometimes work as a very short 'no', but it is often better to include the verb: 不喝。(Bù hē. I don't drink.) With 有 questions, always use 没有 (méi yǒu), not 不有. With 是 questions, 不是 (bú shì) is standard. In formal situations, a full sentence may be more appropriate, but short answers are common and natural in daily Mandarin.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
你喜欢喝茶吗？
Do you like drinking tea?Nǐ xǐhuan hē chá ma?喜欢。
Yes, I do. (I like it.)Xǐhuan.你有中国朋友吗？
Do you have Chinese friends?Nǐ yǒu Zhōngguó péngyou ma?没有。
No, I don't.Méi yǒu.A little context goes a long way
In Mandarin, short answers are common and natural, but the level of directness can depend on context. With friends and family, a simple 是 or 有 is fine. In more formal situations, such as speaking to a teacher or in a business setting, you may want to add a polite phrase or a fuller answer. Also, 不 alone as 'no' can sound abrupt; adding the verb, like 不去 (bú qù, not going), is usually softer. Remember that Mandarin does not use words like 'yes' and 'no' in the same way as English; the verb carries the meaning.
One thing to watch for
Answering a 有 question with 不有 (bù yǒu) to mean 'no, I don't have'.
Try this instead: The correct negative form of 有 is 没有 (méi yǒu). For example, 你有车吗？(Nǐ yǒu chē ma? Do you have a car?) 没有。(Méi yǒu. No, I don't.) Never say 不有.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you answer 你是老师吗？(Nǐ shì lǎoshī ma? Are you a teacher?) with a short negative answer?
Show a sample answer
不是。
不是 (bú shì) is the standard negative short answer to a 是 question. It means 'am not' or 'is not'. You could also say 不是，我是学生。(Bú shì, wǒ shì xuésheng. No, I'm a student.) to add information.
2What is the correct short answer to 你有时间吗？(Nǐ yǒu shíjiān ma? Do you have time?) if you want to say 'yes'?
Show a sample answer
有。
有 (yǒu) repeats the main verb 有 and means 'yes, I have'. You can also say 有，我有时间。(Yǒu, wǒ yǒu shíjiān. Yes, I have time.) for emphasis.
3How do you say 'No, I can't' as a short answer to 你会游泳吗？(Nǐ huì yóuyǒng ma? Can you swim?)
Show a sample answer
不会。
不会 (bú huì) is the negative short answer for 会 questions. It means 'cannot' or 'don't know how to'. You could also say 不会，我不会游泳。(Bú huì, wǒ bú huì yóuyǒng. No, I can't swim.)
In Mandarin, short answers repeat the main verb: 是/不是, 有/没有, 会/不会. Use 没有 for negative 有, and remember that 不 alone can sound abrupt. Practice with common verbs to sound natural.
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