# Do you find Youtube very different from Chinese video websites?



## yuechu

大家好！

A 网友 was telling me about accessing Youtube from China. I wanted to ask him the following question: "Do you find Youtube very different from Chinese video websites?" Does anyone know how to say this in Chinese?
Thanks!


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## SimonTsai

你會不會覺得 Youtube 和中國的影音平臺很不一樣？


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## yuechu

OK! Thanks, SimonTsai!


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## hx1997

I would say the same thing as Simon did, except that I use 视频网站 for "video websites".


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## yuechu

Thanks, hx1997! 
Oh, and just a quick question: Does 会不会 here mean "would"? It's very common to use "would" in English questions to make them more polite. (Would you find...? vs. Do you find...?) Is it the same in Chinese?


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## hx1997

I don't think there's something like do vs. would in Chinese. 会不会... is just an example of an A-not-A question, and is not politer than any other normal questions, in my opinion.


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## yuechu

Oh, interesting! Would 你*會不會*覺得 Youtube 和中國的影音平臺很不一樣？ and 你*是不是*覺得 Youtube 和中國的影音平臺很不一樣？be the same then?
Thanks, hx1997!


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## SuperXW

Kind of like "would you.../do you..." I think.
Nevertheless, the difference could be too subtle to be noticed, if there is any, Yuechu.

By the way, the question is too vague... Do we find Youtube very different from Chinese video websites? Depends on what aspects you are asking...


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## hx1997

No, not exactly the same. To my ears, 是不是 sounds like confirming a speculation or demanding an answer in that case.

For example,
你昨天是不是在图书馆？ Were you at the library yesterday? (This sounds like I suspect you were at the library yesterday, and I'm asking to make sure.)
你是不是觉得你很厉害？You think you're good, huh? (I suspect you're thinking too highly of yourself. Sounds like someone is going to get beaten. )

Q: 你是不是覺得 Youtube 和中國的影音平臺很不一樣？ (I suspect you find Youtube very different from Chinese video websites, and I just want to make sure.)
A: 嗯。／是啊。Indeed.
A: 没有。／不是。 No.
A: 没有啊。／不是啊。No (and why would you think so?).


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## albert_laosong

hx1997 said:


> No, not exactly the same. To my ears, 是不是 sounds like confirming a speculation or demanding an answer in that case.


Yes, 是不是would sound like the speaker is expecting yes as answer.
it would be like saying " don't you think Youtube is very different from Chinese vedeo websites?".

I think the most literal translation for "Do you find Youtube very different from Chinese video websites? " will be like below:
你觉得Youtube和中国的视频网站*有很大不同*/*差异很大*吗？

but to express the same meaning, the structure suggested by SimonTsai can also be used:
你会不会觉得youtube和中国的视频网站有很大不同？  （note: in this structure *吗* can't be used）
你是否觉得youtube和中国的视频网站有很大不同?

the two different structures are just different ways of expressing the same idea, not the difference of informality or politeness.  the 2nd structure would be like saying: do you ever have the feeling that Youtube is very different from Chinese video websites?"

if the speaker wants to sound very polite, he may use " 我想冒昧问您一个问题，您是否觉得XXXXX” , particularly if the person spoken to has very high social status. 
if just polite, "我想请教一个问题“ or “我想请教一下”。


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## yuechu

There are lots of options. That's great! 
Thanks for your help and explanations, SuperXW, hx1997 and albert_laosong!


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## SuperXW

hx1997 said:


> No, not exactly the same. To my ears, 是不是 sounds like confirming a speculation or demanding an answer in that case.


It is almost the same in OP's sentence because *觉得(feel)...?* already indicates subjective and flexible feelings or opinions which *makes the question not so confirmative*.
*Unless* it is a sarcastic, rhetorical question:
你*是不是觉得*youtube和中国视频平台很不一样？你还买VPN翻墙去看？根本不值得啊！
你*会不会觉得*youtube和中国视频平台很不一样？你还买VPN翻墙去看？根本不值得啊！
你*觉不觉得*youtube和中国视频平台很不一样？你还买VPN翻墙去看？根本不值得啊！


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## brofeelgood

The phrase that comes to (my) mind is 「你覺得 Youtube 跟中國的影音平臺有很大的區別嗎?」.


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## HazelisGorilla

我会认为是：你觉不觉得YouTube和中国的视频网站有很大的区别？


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## yuechu

(Sorry, I just realized that I forgot to reply to some of your messages!)

Thanks, SuperXW, brofeelgood and HazelisGorilla, for your replies, as well!


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