Suggestions with "ba"

The particle 吧 (ba) has a number of different uses. Here we'll talk about the simplest way to use 吧 (ba): making suggestions.

Structure

Command + 吧

Note that in Chinese, whenever you have a command with the subject "we," you're basically just saying, "let's (do something)." 吧 (ba) just makes the suggestion sound more tentative and more polite.

Examples

• 我们 走 吧。 This is a suggestion.Wǒmen zǒu ba.Let's go.
• 你 说 吧。This is a suggestion.Nǐ shuō ba.You say it.
• 快 点 吃 吧。 This is a suggestion.Kuài diǎn chī ba.Hurry up and eat.
• 给 我 两 个 吧。 This is a suggestion.Gěi wǒ liǎng gè ba.Give me two.
• 喝 水 吧。This is a suggestion.Hē shuǐ ba.Have some water.
• 我们 去 香港 吧。This is a great suggestion!Wǒmen qù Xiānggǎng ba.Let's go to Hong Kong.
• 我们 六 点 去吧？This is more of a confirmation than a suggestion.Wǒmen liù diǎn qù ba?We're going at 6 o'clock (right)?
• 休息 一下 吧。This is a suggestion.Xiūxi yīxià ba.Take a break.
• 我们 结婚 吧。This is a also suggestion, believe it or not!Wǒmen jiéhūn ba.Let's get married.
• 老板 ，便宜 一点 吧。This is more of a request, made to a shopkeeper.Lǎobǎn, piányi yīdiǎn ba.Boss, can you make it cheaper?

See also

• Softening speech with "ba"
• Softening the tone of questions with "ne" (advanced article)
• Conceding with "ba"

Sources and further reading

Books

• HSK Standard Course 1 (pp. 101) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 66) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 129) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar (pp. 307-311) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

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