'要吗' (yào ma) is a common, informal question phrase used to ask whether someone wants or would like something. It combines the verb 要 (yào), meaning 'to want' or 'to need', with the question particle 吗 (ma), which turns any statement into a yes/no question. Unlike formal alternatives, '要吗' carries a light, conversational tone — it’s frequently used in daily interactions such as offering food, drinks, help, or items.

This phrase is typically placed at the end of a sentence and often follows a noun or noun phrase that names the thing being offered. It assumes shared context — for example, if you hold out a cookie and say '这个饼干要吗？', the listener understands you’re asking about *that cookie*. It’s rarely used in isolation without a subject or object, and never with negation before the verb (e.g., *不要吗* means 'Don’t you want it?', a different nuance). Native speakers use it constantly in casual speech, but avoid it in formal writing or very polite service contexts where '您想要……吗？' is preferred.