1. Explain it simply
吗 (ma) turns a statement into a yes/no question. Just add 吗 to the end-no word order changes needed.
呢 (ne) is used to bounce a question back or ask 'what about ___?'. Put 呢 after the topic you are asking about.
2. Show examples
你是学生吗？
Nǐ shì xuésheng ma?
Are you a student?
Statement + 吗 → question
他喜欢苹果吗？
Tā xǐhuan píngguǒ ma?
Does he like apples?
No inversion needed
我在学校，你呢？
Wǒ zài xuéxiào, nǐ ne?
I'm at school, what about you?
Use 呢 to ask about someone else
3. Share a tip
Start by making the basic statement first (你是学生。). Once it sounds right, add 吗 at the end. For follow-ups, say your sentence and tack 呢 onto the person or thing you want to ask about.