The use of 是

I think, perhaps, it's the influence of languages that have actual words for yes and no (most specifically, and influentially English).

由于中文和英语是两个完全不同的语系，中文的语法的允许使用多个动词来表达一个意思，比如：打假(v.)斗殴(v.)是(v.)违反(v.)治安管理处罚条例(n.)的。

wierd, I post and after I posted a post appears that is send a minute earlyer then mine...

When asking someone something, the verb is used to negate the sentence. So when I ask you, "Ni3 shi1 Ma2 Zhi4qian4" (You are Ma Zhiqian[my chinese name]?), you may repeat the verb in order to confirm my question. In English, It'd be like, "Hey, are you Dave?" "I am" (Wo3 shi1) I think some of my tones might be wrong, but I hope that helps. :) Dave

我太喜欢 使得 还是 对 我不喜欢 我是 (written like an expert heh?) ;-)

executer, 我太喜欢 使得 还是 对 我不喜欢 我是 (written like an expert heh?) ;-) 1. 使得shǐde means make, cause or feasable, usable. I think you might have wanted to use 是的shìde. 2. 还是háishi when used as the conjunction "or" as it is here forms a question. To form a statement, use the conjunction 或者 huòzhě.

I believe that 是 (or 不是) is the correct response to a question that uses 要 (yào) as an auxiliary verb to create a pseudo-progressive tense. example: 你要吃吗？ (Nǐ yào chī ma? ... Are you going to eat?) 是。 (Shì. ... Yes.)

1. sorry, I didn´t see that that beepbeepbeep keybordthingy changed the 的 (hah that´s not realy my folt it´s that beepbeepbeep eastindianlanguagetoolthingy´s fault :-) ) Oh.. it was my fault ´cause I took the first it gave me...anyway... 2. 好的 没错(wanted to use mei wunti but didn´t know how to get that in pinyin)

I want to add my 是 to muddle things up further. It's short for 是这样 , that is, equivalent to 你说得对- It's the way out of the 是不是 tag, very used in boring conversations. And it's a favourite of Jet Li in Hero ( 英雄 yīng xióng ). And it sounds so downright, better than Uma Thurman's 不 in Kill Bill 2. How I talk.

I could be wrong but I guess it´s just like in English. You answer with yes as a "whole sentence". 好吗? 是的 :-)

Actually, they were not questions so much as commands. So is 是 used to say something like "Affirmative"?

Chinesepera-kun translates 是 (in the expanded mode) as indeed,Yes,right;to be;demonstrative pronoun,this,that. hope that clears it up for you :-)

Well, it depends on what the meaning of "is" is. You read things like this and you realize Clinton's words weren't QUITE as ridiculous as they seemed at the time.

"Indeed" seems appropriate. Thanks excuter. Lostinasia, what did Clinton say? I can only remember one thing he said, but he retracted that.

At least 不是 is easy to remember, because it sounds like bull***t. haha i didnt notice before!!

Actually,是shì have several meanings however different part of speech have totally different meanings <形>adj. 1.right 2.correct 3.every;any是处(到处;处处) <代>pron. this;that天将降大任于是人也,必先苦其心志。——《孟子·告子下》 <动>v. be;exist 房子前面是禾场 be suit 放的是地方 try 是猜(试猜) like;resemble是言不是语(似说非说;旁敲侧击) <副>adv. certainly;really他手艺是高明,做出来的东西就是不一样 very是处(极为紧张处;到处) <连>conj. although是则(虽然,虽则);是则是(是即是。虽则是) (whether)…or今天谁值班?还是你还是小王? or

不是和bull***t.发音差的也很远的

A Chnese friend of mine offered the following phrase for declining, shall we say, "certain types of offers" that one receives outside hotels late at night: 不是要. I didn't realize this type of 是+verb construction existed. I still don't understand how it should work, in general. Any tips?

Thanks, I shall go back and review what questions they are actually asking. At least 不是 is easy to remember, because it sounds like bull***t.