ĉu
See also: Appendix:Variations of "cu"
Esperanto
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Polish czy, Ukrainian чи (čy) or the related Yiddish צי (tsi).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /t͡ʃu/
Audio 1: (file) Audio 2: (file) - Rhymes: -u
- Syllabification: ĉu
Particle
ĉu
- (interrogative particle) introduces a yes-no question
- Ĉu neĝas hodiaŭ?
- Is it snowing today?
- whether, if
- Mi ne certas, ĉu li amas min.
- I'm not sure if he loves me.
- Transforms a sentence into a tag question or similar when added to the end of a sentence
- Vi ne manĝas viandon, ĉu.
- Oh, so I see you don't eat meat, do you.
- (ĉu ... ĉu) whether ... or
- (ĉu ... aŭ ne) whether ... or not
Usage notes
Ĉu as a tag question marker is a shortening of the sentence ender ĉu ne, but carries a slightly different connotation and seems to be a relatively new invention, from the 1990s onwards.
Interjection
ĉu
- An expression of surprise or disbelief; really, what, is that so
- 2001, Grigori L. Arosev, Nerekonebla [Unrecognizable][1]:
- - Sed mi ja memoras la vizaĝon de mia najbaro! ekprotestis mi.
- Ĉu?! Do, diru, kia ĝi estas?- "But surely I'd remember the face of my neighbor!" I protested.
"Really?! Then tell me, what's it like?"
- "But surely I'd remember the face of my neighbor!" I protested.