Pattern
Repeat the main predicate
Key words
Core idea
Mandarin affirmative answers usually repeat the main verb, adjective, or modal from the question. This is more natural than trying to translate English “yes” with one fixed word.
The repeated word confirms the part of the question being checked. If the question asks with 是, answer with 是. If it asks about being busy, answer with the adjective.
What learners often miss
The answer depends on the predicate in the question. A short answer is still grammatical because the shared context supplies the rest of the sentence.
This pattern also prepares you for negative replies, where the negative marker is placed before the repeated predicate.
Examples
你是老师吗？我是。
Nǐ shì lǎoshī ma? Wǒ shì.
Are you a teacher? Yes, I am.
The answer repeats the main verb.
你忙不忙？忙。
Nǐ máng bù máng? Máng.
Are you busy? Yes.
他有手机吗？有。
Tā yǒu shǒujī ma? Yǒu.
Does he have a phone? Yes.
Common mistakes
Avoid
你是老师吗？有。
Use
你是老师吗？是。
Match the answer to the question predicate. Use 是 for an identity question, not 有.