为什么你用英文提问题，总是显得很粗鲁？

之前我们写过如何让英文表达更礼貌，今天就来看一看如何更有礼貌地提问题。

在英语表达中，你可以选择本身更为礼貌的疑问句，也可以选择以礼貌的方式将每一种疑问句表达出来。

Direct Question
直接疑问句

直接疑问句也叫一般疑问句，比如：“Are you married? （你结婚了吗？）”或者是信息问题，比如：“Where do you live?（你住在哪里？）”

直接疑问句就是直截了当地提问，不包含任何额外的语言，如"I wonder"或者"Can you tell me"...等。

Construction

构成

Direct questions place the helping verb before the subject of the question:

直接疑问句把助动词放在疑问句的主语前面：

(Question word) + Helping Verb + Subject + Verb + Objects?

（疑问词）+助动词+主语+动词+宾语？

Where do you work?

你在哪里工作？

Are they coming to the party?

他们来参加聚会吗？

How long has she worked for this company?

她在这家公司工作多久了？

What are you doing here？

你在这里干什么？

Making Direct Questions Polite

使直接疑问句变得更礼貌

Direct questions can seem impolite at times, especially when you are asking a stranger. For example, if you come up to someone and ask:

直接提问有时显得不礼貌，尤其是当你问陌生人的时候。例如，如果你碰到某人就开始问：

Does the tram stop here?

电车停在这儿吗？

What time is it?

现在几点了？

Can you move?

你能挪一下吗？

Are you sad?

你难过吗？

It is certainly correct to ask questions in this manner, but it's very common to make these types of questions more polite by adding 'excuse me' or 'pardon me' to begin your question.

用这样的方式提问当然是正确的，但在开始提问前，加上“抱歉”或“请原谅”这样的字眼，是使这类问题变得更加礼貌的常用方式。

Excuse me, when does the bus leave?

抱歉，请问公共汽车什么时候开？

Excuse me, what time is it?

抱歉，请问现在几点了？

Pardon me, which form do I need?

对不起，请问我需要哪个表格？

Pardon me, may I sit here?

对不起，请问我能坐在这里吗？

Questions with 'can' are made more polite by using 'could':

带有“can”的疑问句，如果使用“could”会使其变得更礼貌。

Excuse me, could you help me pick this up?

对不起，你能帮我把这个捡起来吗？

Pardon me, could you help me?

抱歉，你能帮我吗？

Pardon me, could you give me a hand?

抱歉，你能帮我一下吗？

Could you explain this to me?

请问你能给我解释一下吗？

'Would' can also be used to make questions more polite.

“would”这个词也可以使问题变得更加礼貌。

Would you lend me a hand with the wash?

你能帮我洗一下吗？

Would you mind if I sat here?

你介意我坐在这儿吗？

Would you let me borrow your pencil?

能让我借下你的铅笔吗？

Would you like something to eat?

你想吃点什么吗？

Another way of making direct questions more polite is to add 'please' at the end of the question:

另一种使直接疑问句更礼貌的方式是在问题的末尾加上“请”。

Could you fill in this form, please?

请填一下这张表格好吗？

Could you help me, please?

请帮我一下好吗？

Can I have more soup, please?

请给我再来点汤好吗？

Please, can I have more soup?

请给我再来点汤好吗？

'May' is used as a formal means to ask for permission and is very polite. It is usually used with 'I', and sometimes 'we'.

“may”是一种正式请求的表达方式，使用它也很有礼貌。它通常和“我”一起使用，有时也和“我们”一起用。

May I come in, please?

请问我能进来吗？

May I use the telephone?

请问我能用下这个电话吗？

May we help you this evening?

今晚我们能帮你吗？

May we make a suggestion?

我们可以提个建议吗？

Indirect Question
间接疑问句

间接疑问句用附加补充的语言使问题更加礼貌。这些短语包括“I wonder”，“Can you tell me”，“Do you think”…

Construction

构成

Indirect questions begin with an introductory phrase. Note that because indirect questions do not invert the subject as indirect questions.

间接疑问句以引入性短语开始。请注意，主语和间接疑问句是分开的。

Use questions words for information questions and 'if' or 'whether' for yes/no questions.

寻求信息的问题常用疑问词，问是与否的问题常用if或whether。

Introductory Phrase + Question Word / If / Whether + Subject + Helping Verb + Main Verb?

引入性短语+疑问词/ If /Whether+主语+助动词+主动词？

Can you tell me where he plays tennis?

你能告诉我他在哪里打网球吗？

I wonder if you know what time it is.

我想知道你是否知道现在几点了。

Do you think she will be able to come next week?

你认为她下周能来吗？

Excuse me, Do you know when the next bus leaves?

对不起，请问你知道下一班公共汽车什么时候开吗？

Indirect Questions: Very Polite

间接疑问句：非常礼貌

Using indirect question forms is an especially polite way of asking polite questions. The information requested is the same as indirect questions, but are considered more formal. Notice that an indirect question begins with a phrase (I wonder, Do you think, Would you mind, etc.) the actual question is then placed in positive sentence form:

使用间接疑问句是一种特别礼貌的提问方式。所寻求的信息与间接疑问句相同，但被认为更正式。一个间接疑问句以一个短语开始，例如I wonder, Do you think, Would you mind，真正的问题以肯定句形式呈现。

Introductory phrase + question word (or if) + positive sentence

引入性短语+疑问词（或if）+肯定句

I wonder if you could help me with this problem.

我想知道，你能否帮我解决这个问题。

Do you know when the next train leaves?

你知道下一班火车什么时候开吗？

Would you mind if I opened the window?

你介意我打开窗户吗？

NOTE: If you are asking a 'yes-no' question use 'if' to connect the introductory phrase with the actual question statement. Otherwise, use a question word 'where, when, why, or how' to connect the two phrases.

注意：如果你问的是一般疑问句，请用“if”连接引入性短语和实际的问题陈述。不然，就使用一个疑问词“何地、何时、为什么、或如何”连接这两个部分。

Do you know if she will come to the party?

你知道她是否会来聚会吗？

I wonder if you can answer a few questions.

我想知道你能否回答几个问题。

Can you tell me if he is married?

你能告诉我他结婚了没有？

Question Tags

反义疑问句

Question tags are used to check information that we think is correct or to ask for more information depending on the intonation of the voice. If the voice goes up at the end of the sentence, the person is asking for more information. If the voice drops, someone is confirming information which is known.

反义疑问句用来确认我们认为正确的信息，或者根据说话人的语调询求更多的信息。如果说话人在句子末尾的语调上升，则表明他寻求更多的信息。如果说话人语调下降，则表明他正在确认已知的信息。

Construction

构成

Question tags use the opposite form of the helping verb from the direct question to finish up the sentence with a 'tag'.

反问疑问句使用直接疑问句中助动词的相反形式，加在句子结尾来完成反问。

Subject +Helping verb + Objects + , +  Opposite Helping Verb + Subject?

主语+助动词+宾语+，+相反的助动词+主语？

You live in New York, don't you?

你住在纽约，不是吗？

She hasn't studied French, has she?

她还没有学法语，是吗？

We're good friends, aren't we?

我们是好朋友，不是吗？

I've met you before, haven't I?

我以前见过你，不是吗？

Direct and indirect questions are used to ask for information you do not know. Question tags are generally used to check the information you think you know.

直接和间接疑问句通常用来询问你不知道的信息。反问疑问句则通常用来确认你认为你已知的信息。