In Russian, asking yes or no questions is super important for learning the language. It’s different from English. In English, we often change the order of words to ask questions. But in Russian, we mainly change our tone and the word order. Here are some simple rules to help you make yes/no questions in Russian.

1. Basic Sentence Structure

In Russian, the usual order is Subject-Verb-Object (SVO). To turn a statement into a yes/no question, you keep this order but change how you say it.

Example:

• Statement: "Ты идёшь в магазин." (You are going to the store.)
• Question: "Ты идёшь в магазин?" (Are you going to the store?)

The only thing you change is how you say the last part of the sentence, like raising your voice.

2. Using Question Particles

Sometimes, you can add the word "ли" (li) to make it clear that it’s a question. This word usually goes right after the verb or at the end of the sentence.

Example:

• Statement: "Ты идёшь в магазин."
• Question: "Ты идёшь ли в магазин?" (Are you going to the store?)

Adding "ли" makes the question sound more formal or polite.

3. Word Order Variation

While the SVO order is common, you can mix up the words a bit to focus on different parts of the sentence. Changing the order can help highlight what you're asking about.

Examples:

• "В магазин ты идёшь?" (You are going to the store?) — focuses on "to the store."
• "Идёшь ты в магазин?" (Are you going to the store?) — focuses on "are you going."

4. Contextual Understanding

Just like in English, the situation can help you know what the question is about. Sometimes, you can understand a question based on what was said before without changing any words.

Example:

• If someone says, "Я бы пошёл в магазин," (I would go to the store), you can simply ask, "Ты идёшь?" (Are you going?) to show you’re asking a yes/no question.

5. Negative Questions

You can also ask negative yes/no questions to clear up any confusion. In Russian, use the word "не" (not) to make these questions.

Example:

• Statement: "Ты не идёшь в магазин." (You are not going to the store.)
• Question: "Ты не идёшь в магазин?" (Aren't you going to the store?)

This way of asking usually helps to confirm something negative.

6. Practice with Examples

To get better at these rules, try changing these statements into yes/no questions:

1. Она читает книгу. (She is reading a book.)
2. Мы будем на отдыхе. (We will be on vacation.)
3. Он не работает сегодня. (He is not working today.)

Answers:

1. Она читает книгу? (Is she reading a book?)
2. Мы будем на отдыхе? (Will we be on vacation?)
3. Он не работает сегодня? (Isn't he working today?)

Conclusion

Learning how to ask yes/no questions is really important for talking in Russian. Being good at using tone, the word "ли," and changing word order will help you speak and understand the language better. Keep practicing different sentences to improve your skills!