Confirmation Questions with 好吗、可以吗、行吗、怎么样 in Chinese
用好吗、可以吗、行吗、怎么样提问
好吗, 可以吗, 行吗, and 怎么样 can follow a proposal or request to ask whether the listener agrees, permits it, or finds the arrangement acceptable. The preceding clause states the concrete action under discussion. These endings differ slightly in tone, but none automatically guarantees that the proposal is polite in every context.
Published August 15, 2026
Reviewed August 15, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
Proposal or Request + 好吗/可以吗/行吗/怎么样？
Read the structure
好吗, 可以吗, 行吗, and 怎么样 can follow a proposal or request to ask whether the listener agrees, permits it, or finds the arrangement acceptable. The preceding clause states the concrete action under discussion. These endings differ slightly in tone, but none automatically guarantees that the proposal is polite in every context. Keep the model Proposal or Request + 好吗/可以吗/行吗/怎么样？ visible while you compare each sentence.
我们明天八点出发，好吗？
Shall we leave at eight tomorrow?
Choose the right context
Ask whether the listener accepts a concrete proposal or arrangement. Use 可以吗 or 行吗 to request permission for an action. Place the confirmation expression after the complete proposal or request.
我用一下你的电脑，可以吗？
May I use your computer for a moment?
Respect the boundary
Do not insert the confirmation ending inside the main verb phrase. Do not leave the proposed action grammatically incomplete. Do not assume the four endings have identical tone in every situation.
我们明天八点出发吗好？
(We leave at eight tomorrow ma good?)
Repair the pattern
好吗 is inserted inside the proposal: 好吗 follows the complete proposal as a confirmation question. 行吗 splits the request predicate: The requested action must be complete before sentence-final 行吗 asks for agreement.
我们明天八点出发，好吗？
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
我们明天八点出发，好吗？
Shall we leave at eight tomorrow?
我们
Proposal or Request
This part occupies the Proposal or Request position in the model pattern.
明天
好吗/可以吗/行吗/怎么样？
This part occupies the 好吗/可以吗/行吗/怎么样？ position in the model pattern.
八
Proposal or Request
This part occupies the Proposal or Request position in the model pattern.
点
好吗/可以吗/行吗/怎么样？
This part occupies the 好吗/可以吗/行吗/怎么样？ position in the model pattern.
出发
Proposal or Request
This part occupies the Proposal or Request position in the model pattern.
，
好吗/可以吗/行吗/怎么样？
This part occupies the 好吗/可以吗/行吗/怎么样？ position in the model pattern.
好
Proposal or Request
This part occupies the Proposal or Request position in the model pattern.
吗
好吗/可以吗/行吗/怎么样？
This part occupies the 好吗/可以吗/行吗/怎么样？ position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
我们明天八点出发，好吗？
Shall we leave at eight tomorrow?
我用一下你的电脑，可以吗？
May I use your computer for a moment?
坐公共汽车去，怎么样？
How about going by bus?
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Ask whether the listener accepts a concrete proposal or arrangement.
- Use 可以吗 or 行吗 to request permission for an action.
- Place the confirmation expression after the complete proposal or request.
Do not use it when
- Do not insert the confirmation ending inside the main verb phrase.
- Do not leave the proposed action grammatically incomplete.
- Do not assume the four endings have identical tone in every situation.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
我们明天八点出发吗好？
我们明天八点出发，好吗？
好吗 is inserted inside the proposal
好吗 follows the complete proposal as a confirmation question.
你的词典借我行用用吗？
你的词典借我用用，行吗？
行吗 splits the request predicate
The requested action must be complete before sentence-final 行吗 asks for agreement.
我们明天八点出发吗好？
好吗 follows the complete proposal as a confirmation question.
你的词典借我行用用吗？
The requested action must be complete before sentence-final 行吗 asks for agreement.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 用好吗、可以吗、行吗、怎么样提问.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 用好吗、可以吗、行吗、怎么样提问. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
Confirmation Questions with 好吗、可以吗、行吗、怎么样 Questions
Are 好吗, 可以吗, 行吗, and 怎么样 interchangeable?
They overlap, but their focus differs. 好吗 and 怎么样 often invite agreement, while 可以吗 and 行吗 commonly ask permission or feasibility.
Does adding one of these endings always make a request polite?
No. Word choice, relationship, intonation, and the request itself still determine politeness.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: Appendix A, Level 2 item 【二75】, PDF pp. 196-197 (printed pp. 190-191)
Supports placement in HSK 2; it does not independently establish the usage explanation.
Official source现代汉语语法课程讲义
包头师范学院 · 包头师范学院 · 2024
Locator: Question sentence types and appended confirmation questions, course slides pp. 65-68
Classifies confirmation-seeking question forms and distinguishes them from ordinary statement and alternative question structures.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Easy to confuse
吗吗 and A-not-A Questions
Compare proposal confirmation endings with ordinary yes-no questions about whether a proposition is true.
Compare
吧吧 for Suggestions and Confirmation
Distinguish asking whether a proposal is acceptable from presenting a softened suggestion with 吧.
Continue learning
疑问句四类Four Basic Chinese Question Types
Place these appended confirmation forms inside the broader inventory of Mandarin question types.
Compare
选择复句：还是还是 Choice Questions
Compare asking whether one proposal is acceptable with asking a listener to choose between alternatives.
RECOMMENDED NEXT
Easy to confuse
Compare proposal confirmation endings with ordinary yes-no questions about whether a proposition is true.