<p>You have two sentences:</p>
<p>a) 这本词典是老师的吗?</p>
<p>b) 这本是老师的词典吗?</p>
<p>Are they grammatically correct?</p>
<p>I would suggest that you consider the third sentence:</p>
<p>c) 这本词典是老师的词典吗?</p>
<p>From (c), you can reduce either one of the words 词典 without introducing confusion. Therefore (a) and (b) are both grammatically correct.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-03-08T14:28:10.513Z
In daily life, you can say, 这是老师的吗? when you finger point to the book and you believe that they can still understand you.
PdotWang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-03-08T02:42:58.650Z
2023-03-08T02:42:58.650Z
PdotWang
<p>a) 这本词典是老师的吗?</p>
<p>Is this dictionary the teacher's? Or more colloquially, Does this dictionary belong to the teacher?</p>
<p>这本是老师的词典吗?</p>
<p>Is this the teacher's dictionary?</p>
<p>They are both correct and mean essentially the same thing, except the first is slightly more emphatic on the dictionary.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-30T17:47:50.213Z
No sure why the downvote? Any problem with the answer?
monalisa
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-30T15:41:34.760Z
2023-01-30T15:41:34.760Z
monalisa
<p>[这本词典是老师的吗]意思是&lt;这本词典&gt;的主人是&lt;老师&gt;吗，[这本是老师的词典吗]把老师和词典变成了一个整体，也就是说第一句是对&lt;老师&gt;这一个词表示疑问，第二句是对&lt;老师的词典&gt;这一个整体发问
但是我觉得第二句说起来有点怪怪的…</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-03-12T03:19:47.943Z
2023-03-12T03:19:47.943Z
Jofratee
<p>Both versions are correct. They both mean the same thing.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-29T15:35:54.977Z
2023-03-11T18:03:28.103Z
2023-03-11T18:03:28.103Z
Aken
<p>I wonder if there is a difference between these two sentences a) 这本词典是老师的吗? and b) 这本是老师的词典吗? Are they grammatically correct? thanks!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-03-13T22:39:11.930Z
Same meaning with different emphasis, first on "词典", and second on "老师"
Shaw
<grammar><difference><word-order>
What's the difference between 这本词典是老师的吗? and 这本是老师的词典吗?
# What's the difference between 这本词典是老师的吗? and 这本是老师的词典吗?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-01-29)

I wonder if there is a difference between these two sentences a) 这本词典是老师的吗? and b) 这本是老师的词典吗? Are they grammatically correct? thanks!

**Tags:** grammar, difference, word-order

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Same meaning with different emphasis, first on "词典", and second on "老师"  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2023-03-08. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

You have two sentences:

a) 这本词典是老师的吗?

b) 这本是老师的词典吗?

Are they grammatically correct?

I would suggest that you consider the third sentence:

c) 这本词典是老师的词典吗?

From (c), you can reduce either one of the words 词典 without introducing confusion. Therefore (a) and (b) are both grammatically correct.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: In daily life, you can say, 这是老师的吗? when you finger point to the book and you believe that they can still understand you.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2023-01-30. Score: 6

a) 这本词典是老师的吗?

Is this dictionary the teacher's? Or more colloquially, Does this dictionary belong to the teacher?

这本是老师的词典吗?

Is this the teacher's dictionary?

They are both correct and mean essentially the same thing, except the first is slightly more emphatic on the dictionary.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: No sure why the downvote? Any problem with the answer?  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2023-03-12. Score: 3

[这本词典是老师的吗]意思是<这本词典>的主人是<老师>吗，[这本是老师的词典吗]把老师和词典变成了一个整体，也就是说第一句是对<老师>这一个词表示疑问，第二句是对<老师的词典>这一个整体发问
但是我觉得第二句说起来有点怪怪的…


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2023-01-29. Score: 0

Both versions are correct. They both mean the same thing.


---

