How to Say ‘Do you want to’ in Simplified Chinese
你要
nǐ yào
[nee yaow]
💬 Usage Tip: [你要] can mean "you want to" or "you are going to," depending on context. [要] is a very useful multi-purpose verb.
🇨🇳 In China: Because [要] has several meanings, listening to the whole sentence matters. It's a small word with a busy schedule.
Phrase Breakdown
你
nǐ
[nee]
you
The informal singular word for 'you' when speaking to someone directly.
你要出去吗？
Are you going out?
要
yào
[yaow]
want to; going to
Often means 'want' or shows intention, like 'be going to' do something.
你要喝水吗？
Do you want to drink water?
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