<p>Use of 呢 due to presence of interrogative pronoun 什么（similar to 吗 for yes-no questions) quoting e.g. 图解基础汉语语法：</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>＂呢＂可以用在有<strong>疑问代词</strong>＂谁＂、＂怎么＂、＂什么＂、＂哪＂等的疑问句中，＂呢＂出现不出现都不影响疑问的表达，＂呢＂有缓和语气的作用。格式：含疑问代词的句子＋（呢）？A：妈妈，你买了点什么（呢）？B：很多东西，你猜猜。A：这么晚才回来，你到哪儿去了（呢）？B：我去参加同学的生日晚会了。Attention:如果句中有疑问代词：＂吗＂不能出现在句末，只能用＂呢＂。E.g.✓他是谁呢？✗他是谁吗？✓妈妈，你买了点什么呢？✗妈妈，你买了点什么吗？✓这么晚才回来，你到哪儿去了呢？✗这么晚才回来，你到哪儿去了吗？✓你怎么不去呢？✗你怎么不去吗？</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-28T07:35:20.877Z
2019-02-28T08:33:47.873Z
2019-02-28T08:33:47.873Z
user6065
<p>呢 is a final particle. It denotes interrogative form in your example sentence. (it has other usages in other context)</p>

<p>You can just use a question mark e.g. "你在听什么？" (what are you listening ) to mark the sentence as a question </p>

<p>"呢" in "你在听<strong>什么呢</strong>？” asks the question of "<strong>what</strong>" are you listening to</p>

<p>"嗎" in "你在<strong>听</strong>什么<strong>嗎</strong>？” asks the question of "<strong>are</strong>" you <strong>listening</strong> to something</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-28T06:26:59.277Z
Thanks! One last question: Is the 在 optional? I've heard people use both with and without 在 and I'm wondering if its existence changes anything.
Sean
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-28T06:29:33.140Z
@Seankala 在 functions similar to ~ing in English here. 你听什么呢? = you listen to what? ; 你在听什么呢? = you are listening to what?
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-28T22:32:18.833Z
@TangHo What's the difference between 你听什么 and 你听什么呢 then?
Enrico Brasil
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-28T23:29:04.773Z
@Enrico Brasil  "你听什么?"  sounds blunt ; "你听什么呢?"  ends the speech with a softer tone, plus, it stresses the pronoun '什么', make sure people understand you are asking 'what' is being listened to; Not "are you listen to something?"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-28T06:23:21.320Z
2019-02-28T06:23:21.320Z
Tang Ho
<p>I know that it means "What are you listening to?" but I'm curious as to what the 呢 is supposed to do.</p>

<vocabulary>
What does the 呢 in "你听什么呢？" mean?
# What does the 呢 in "你听什么呢？" mean?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-02-28)

I know that it means "What are you listening to?" but I'm curious as to what the 呢 is supposed to do.

**Tags:** vocabulary

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-02-28. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

呢 is a final particle. It denotes interrogative form in your example sentence. (it has other usages in other context)

You can just use a question mark e.g. "你在听什么？" (what are you listening ) to mark the sentence as a question

"呢" in "你在听**什么呢**？” asks the question of "**what**" are you listening to

"嗎" in "你在**听**什么**嗎**？” asks the question of "**are**" you **listening** to something

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks! One last question: Is the 在 optional? I've heard people use both with and without 在 and I'm wondering if its existence changes anything.  
> **username_2**: @Seankala 在 functions similar to ~ing in English here. 你听什么呢? = you listen to what? ; 你在听什么呢? = you are listening to what?  
> **username_3**: @TangHo What's the difference between 你听什么 and 你听什么呢 then?  
> **username_2**: @Enrico Brasil  "你听什么?"  sounds blunt ; "你听什么呢?"  ends the speech with a softer tone, plus, it stresses the pronoun '什么', make sure people understand you are asking 'what' is being listened to; Not "are you listen to something?"  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2019-02-28. Score: 1

Use of 呢 due to presence of interrogative pronoun 什么（similar to 吗 for yes-no questions) quoting e.g. 图解基础汉语语法：

> ＂呢＂可以用在有**疑问代词**＂谁＂、＂怎么＂、＂什么＂、＂哪＂等的疑问句中，＂呢＂出现不出现都不影响疑问的表达，＂呢＂有缓和语气的作用。格式：含疑问代词的句子＋（呢）？A：妈妈，你买了点什么（呢）？B：很多东西，你猜猜。A：这么晚才回来，你到哪儿去了（呢）？B：我去参加同学的生日晚会了。Attention:如果句中有疑问代词：＂吗＂不能出现在句末，只能用＂呢＂。E.g.✓他是谁呢？✗他是谁吗？✓妈妈，你买了点什么呢？✗妈妈，你买了点什么吗？✓这么晚才回来，你到哪儿去了呢？✗这么晚才回来，你到哪儿去了吗？✓你怎么不去呢？✗你怎么不去吗？


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