Rhetorical question “不是……吗？”

In Chinese the pattern “不是……吗？” (bú shì... ma?) usually conveys the speaker's puzzlement or annoyance, and sometimes a reminder or a confirmation.

The sentence looks negative in form, but its meaning is usually affirmative.

In English it usually comes out as:

Isn't it …? Didn't you say …? … aren't you?

Basic Structure

不是 + clause + 吗？

Meaning: isn't it …?

Examples

你(Nǐ)不(bú)是(shì)喜(xǐ)欢(huan)玩(wán)电(diàn)脑(nǎo)吗(ma)？你(Nǐ)可(kě)以(yǐ)去(qù)看(kàn)看(kan)跟(gēn)电(diàn)脑(nǎo)有(yǒu)关(guān)系(xi)的(de)书(shū)。

Don't you like playing on the computer? You could take a look at some books about computers.

Structure

你 + 不是 + 喜欢玩电脑 + 吗？ you + don't you + like playing on the computer + ? 你不是……吗？ — don't you …? 喜欢玩电脑 — to like playing on the computer 你可以去看看 — you could go and have a look 跟电脑有关系的书 — books to do with computers

Here the speaker is reminding the listener of something already known.

你(Nǐ)不(bú)是(shì)说(shuō)今(jīn)天(tiān)有(yǒu)事(shì)吗(ma)？为(Wèi)什(shén)么(me)来(lái)了(le)？

Didn't you say you were busy today? Why have you come?

Structure

你 + 不是 + 说今天有事 + 吗？ you + didn't you + say you were busy today + ? 你不是说……吗？ — didn't you say …? 今天有事 — to be busy today 为什么来了？ — why have you come?

Here the speaker is expressing puzzlement or annoyance.

考(Kǎo)试(shì)不(bú)是(shì)下(xià)个(ge)月(yuè)吗(ma)？你(Nǐ)怎(zěn)么(me)今(jīn)天(tiān)就(jiù)开(kāi)始(shǐ)复(fù)习(xí)了(le)？

Isn't the exam next month? Why have you started revising already today?

Structure

考试 + 不是 + 下个月 + 吗？ the exam + isn't it + next month + ? 考试 — the exam 不是下个月吗？ — isn't it next month? 你怎么……？ — how come you …? 今天就开始复习了 — have started revising already today

Here too the speaker is surprised and asks out of puzzlement.

Quick Rule

不是 + clause + 吗？

Meaning: negative in form, but usually affirmative in sense.

The pattern is mostly used for:

puzzlement; annoyance; a reminder; a confirmation.

Examples:

你(Nǐ)不(bú)是(shì)喜(xǐ)欢(huan)玩(wán)电(diàn)脑(nǎo)吗(ma)？

Don't you like playing on the computer?

你(Nǐ)不(bú)是(shì)说(shuō)今(jīn)天(tiān)有(yǒu)事(shì)吗(ma)？

Didn't you say you were busy today?

考(Kǎo)试(shì)不(bú)是(shì)下(xià)个(ge)月(yuè)吗(ma)？

Isn't the exam next month?