Difference between revisions of "Sentence-final interjection "a""

Latest revision as of 09:21, 20 April 2021

Level

A2 / HSK1
Level

A2
Level

HSK1
Similar to
Similar to
- Listing things with "a" (HSK5)
- Softening the tone of questions with "ne" (HSK5)
- Expressing the self-evident with "ma" (HSK6)
Used for

Exclaiming, Expressing attitude
Keywords

啊

The interjection 啊 (a) is often added to the end of sentences to add a tone of urgency, exclamation or excitement. However, the exact meaning often depends on context.

啊 (a) Expressing Exclamation

When used like this, 啊 (a) is placed at the end of a statement and has a tone of exclamation, excitement or enthusiasm. (In a lot of cases, the only English "translation" you can offer is an exclamation point.)

Examples

对啊！Banging fist on table...Duì a! You're right!
这里好漂亮啊！Zhèlǐ hǎo piàoliang a!This place is so pretty!
你家真大啊！Nǐ jiā zhēn dà a! Your house is so big.
学中文真难啊！Xué Zhōngwén zhēn nán a! Learning Chinese is so hard!
好香啊！什么东西？ Hǎo xiāng a! Shénme dōngxi? It smells great! What is it?

啊 (a) Expressing Certainty or Urgency

啊 (a) can also add a sense of certainty or urgency to a statement, sometimes with the feeling of an order.

Examples

是啊，我也觉得！Shì a, wǒ yě juéde! Definitely, I think so too!
行啊！Xíng a!All right!
可以啊！Kěyǐ a! It's fine!
小心啊！Xiǎoxīn a! Be careful!
吃啊！Chī a! Eat some!

啊 (a) Used in Questions

Finally, it can be used with questions, again with a sense of urgency or concern for the listener.

Examples

你走不走啊？ Nǐ zǒu bu zǒu a? Are you going or what?
你吃不吃啊？Nǐ chī bu chī a? Are you eating or not?
谁说的啊？Shéi shuō de a? Who said so?
你傻啊？Nǐ shǎ a? What are you, stupid?
看什么啊？没见过漂亮姑娘啊？ Kàn shénme a? Méi jiàn guo piàoliang gūniang a?What are you looking at? Have you never seen a pretty girl before?

Sources and further reading

Books

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 The interjection 啊 (a) is often added to the end of sentences to add a tone of urgency, exclamation or excitement. However, the exact meaning often  depends on context.
-==啊 expressing exclamation==
+==啊 (a) Expressing Exclamation==
 When used like this, 啊 (a) is placed at the end of a statement and has a tone of exclamation, excitement or enthusiasm.  (In a lot of cases, the only English "translation" you can offer is an exclamation point.)
+=== Examples ===
 <div class="liju">
-* 你好 <em>啊</em>!<span class="pinyin"> Nǐhǎo <em>a</em>!</span><span class="trans">Hey, how's it going!</span>
+* 对 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="expl">Banging fist on table...</span><span class="pinyin">Duì <em>a</em>! </span><span class="trans">You're right!</span>
-* 对 <em>啊</em> ！ <span class="expl">(Banging fist on table...)</span><span class="pinyin">Duì <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">You're right!</span>
+* 这里 好 漂亮 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ hǎo piàoliang <em>a</em>!</span><span class="trans">This place is so pretty! </span>
-* 你 的 男朋友 真 帅 <em>啊</em> ！ <span class="expl">(Upon seeing a picture of said boyfriend.)</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ de nánpéngyou zhēn shuài <em>a</em>!</span>  <span class="trans">Your boyfriend's so handsome!</span>
+* 你 家 真 大 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiā zhēn dà <em>a</em>! </span><span class="trans">Your house is so big.</span>
-* 好 <em>啊</em> ， 好 <em>啊</em> ！ 我去 ！<span class="pinyin">Hǎo <em>a</em>, hǎo <em>a</em>! Wǒqù!</span> <span class="trans"> OK, OK! I'll go!</span>
+* 学 中文 真 难 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Xué Zhōngwén zhēn nán <em>a</em>! </span><span class="trans">Learning Chinese is so hard!</span>
-* 这里 好 漂亮 <em>啊</em> ！ <span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ hǎo piàoliang <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">This place is so pretty!</span>
+* 好 香 <em>啊</em> ！什么东西 ？ <span class="pinyin">Hǎo xiāng <em>a</em>!  Shénme dōngxi? </span><span class="trans">It smells great! What is it? </span>
-* 这个 菜 真 好吃 <em>啊</em> ！ <span class="pinyin">Zhège cài zhēn hǎochī <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">This dish is really delicious!</span>
-* 哇 ， 好 香 <em>啊</em> ！ 什么东西 ？ <span class="pinyin">Wā, hǎo xiāng <em>a</em>!  Shénme dōngxī?</span> <span class="trans">Woah, it smells great! What is it?</span>
-* 没 问题 <em>啊</em> ！ 我 帮 你 。 <span class="pinyin">Méi wèntí <em>a</em>!  Wǒ bāng nǐ.</span> <span class="trans">No problem! I'll help you!</span>
-* 好 吵 <em>啊</em> ！ 我们 走 吧 。 <span class="pinyin">Hǎo chǎo <em>a</em>!  Wǒmen zǒu bā.</span> <span class="trans">So noisy! Let's leave.</span>
-* 学 中文 真 难 <em>啊</em> ！ <span class="pinyin">Xué Zhōngwén zhēn nán <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">Learning Chinese is so hard!</span>
 </div>
-==啊 expressing certainty or urgency==
+==啊 (a) Expressing Certainty or Urgency==
 啊 (a) can also add a sense of certainty or urgency to a statement, sometimes with the feeling of an order.
+=== Examples ===
 <div class="liju">
-* 是 <em>啊</em> ， 我 也 觉得 ！ <span class="pinyin">Shì <em>a</em>, wǒ yě juéde!</span> <span class="trans">Definitely, I agree!</span>
+* 是 <em>啊</em> ，我 也 觉得 ！<span class="pinyin">Shì <em>a</em>, wǒ yě juéde! </span><span class="trans">Definitely, I think so too! </span>
-* 小心 <em>啊</em> ！ <span class="pinyin">Xiǎoxīn <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">Be careful!</span>
+* 行 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Xíng <em>a</em>!</span><span class="trans">All right! </span>
-* 快点 <em>啊</em> ！ <span class="pinyin">Kuàidiǎn <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">Quickly!</span>
+* 可以 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Kěyǐ <em>a</em>! </span><span class="trans">It's fine!</span>
-* 这 个 人 真 没 礼貌 <em>啊</em> ！ <span class="pinyin">Zhè gè rén zhēn méi lǐ mào <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">This person really has no manners!</span>
+* 小心 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Xiǎoxīn <em>a</em>! </span><span class="trans">Be careful!</span>
-* 不要 忘 了 开会 <em>啊</em> ！ <span class="pinyin">Bùyào wàng le kāihuì <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">Don't forget to have the meeting!</span>
+* 吃 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Chī <em>a</em>! </span><span class="trans">Eat some! </span>
-* 我们 都 去 <em>啊</em> ！ <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu qù <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">We're all going!</span>
-* 不 知道 <em>啊</em> ！ <span class="pinyin">Bù zhīdao <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">I don't know!</span>
-* 可以 <em>啊</em> ！ <span class="pinyin">Kěyǐ <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">It's fine!</span>
-* 你 吃 <em>啊</em> ！ 不要 不好意思 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ chī <em>a</em>!  Bùyào bùhǎoyìsi.</span> <span class="trans">Eat it! Don't be embarrassed.</span>
-* 天天 加班 ， 累 <em>啊</em> ！ <span class="pinyin">Tiāntiān jiābān, lèi <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">Working overtime every day is so tiring!</span>
 </div>
-==啊 used in questions==
+==啊 (a) Used in Questions==
 Finally, it can be used with questions, again with a sense of urgency or concern for the listener.
+=== Examples ===
 <div class="liju">
-* 你 走 不 走 <em>啊</em> ？ <span class="trans">Are you going or what?</span>
+* 你 走 不 走 <em>啊</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ zǒu bu zǒu <em>a</em>? </span><span class="trans">Are you going or what? </span>
-* 你 去 哪儿 <em>啊</em> ？ <span class="trans">Where are you going?</span>
+* 你 吃 不 吃 <em>啊</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ  chī bu chī <em>a</em>? </span><span class="trans">Are you eating or not? </span>
-* 你 怎么样 <em>啊</em> ？ <span class="trans">So how have you been?</span>
+* 谁 说 的 <em>啊</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Shéi shuō de <em>a</em>? </span><span class="trans">Who said so? </span>
-* 你 是 谁 <em>啊</em> ？<span class="trans">Who are you?</span>
+* 你 傻 <em>啊</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shǎ <em>a</em>? </span><span class="trans">What are you, stupid? </span>
-* 谁 说 的 <em>啊</em>？<span class="trans">Who said so?</span>
+* 看 什么 <em>啊</em> ？没 见 过 漂亮 姑娘 <em>啊</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Kàn shénme <em>a</em>?  Méi jiàn guo piàoliang gūniang <em>a</em>?</span><span class="trans">What are you looking at? Have you never seen a pretty girl before? </span>
-* 你 为什么 来 这里 <em>啊</em>？<span class="trans">What are you doing coming here?</span>
-* 你 傻 <em>啊</em> ？<span class="trans">What are you, stupid?</span>
-* 看 什么 <em>啊</em> ？ 没 见 过 漂亮 姑娘 <em>啊</em> ？<span class="trans">What are you looking at? Have you never seen a pretty girl before?</span>
-* 他们 结婚 了 ？真 的 <em>啊</em> ？<span class="trans">They got married? Seriously?</span>
-* 你 真 不 知道  <em>啊</em> ？<span class="trans">You really don't know?</span>
 </div>
-This is very similar to one of the usages of [[呢]] (ne), but has an added sense of urgency.
+==See also==
-==See also==
 *[[Questions with ne]]
 *[[Suggestions with ba]]
@@ Line 69: / Line 60: @@
 === Books ===
-*[[A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)]] (pp.142-3) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA →buy]
+{{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|107}}
-* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (pp. 51-4) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887276881 →buy]
+{{Source|A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)|142-3}}
+{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2|51-4}}
 [[Category: A2 grammar points]]
+{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
 [[Category: Particles ]]
-{{Basic Grammar|啊|A2|……啊！|是 <em>啊</em>！谁 <em>啊</em>？|grammar point|ASGW66JM}}
+{{Basic Grammar|啊|A2|⋯⋯啊|是 <em>啊</em>！谁 <em>啊</em>？|grammar point|ASGW66JM}}
 {{Similar|Questions with ne}}
 {{Similar|Suggestions with ba}}

Difference between revisions of "Sentence-final interjection "a""

Latest revision as of 09:21, 20 April 2021

Contents

啊 (a) Expressing Exclamation

Examples

啊 (a) Expressing Certainty or Urgency

Examples

啊 (a) Used in Questions

Examples

See also

Sources and further reading

Books