Difference between revisions of "Conceding with "ba""

Latest revision as of 08:54, 21 April 2021

Level

A2 / HSK2
Level

A2
Level

HSK2
Similar to
- Suggestions with "ba" (A1)
- Softening speech with "ba" (A2)
- Reviewing options with "ba" (B1)
Similar to
- Softening speech with "ba" (HSK1)
- Suggestions with "ba" (HSK1)
- Reviewing options with "ba" (HSK4)
Used for

Expressing attitude
Keywords

吧

The particle 吧 (ba) can also be used to concede a point. That is, 吧 (ba) can be used to accept or agree with something that you're not particularly happy about, the way we might use "all right" or "fine then" in English.

Structure

Similar to other uses of 吧 (ba), this usage is also simply placed on the end of a sentence or statement.

Statement + 吧

Examples

To understand what someone is conceding to, it's best to present this usage as a number of super short dialogs which provide a little context.

In this first one, B has to accept that his luxury goods shopping dreams have been shattered.

A:太贵了！Tài guì le! That's too expensive!
B:好吧，我们可以看看别的。 Hǎo ba, wǒmen kěyǐ kànkan biéde.All right, we can take a look at something else.

Now B must accept inconvenient schedule changes.

A:下午我不在家，你可以晚上来吗？Xiàwǔ wǒ bù zài jiā, nǐ kěyǐ wǎnshang lái ma? This afternoon I won't be home. Can you come by this evening?
B:行吧。Xíng ba.All right.

B is now conceding that going out in this crazy rain doesn't make sense.

A:雨太大了，明天再去买吧。 Yǔ tài dà le, míngtiān zài qù mǎi ba.It's raining heavily. Let's go buy it tomorrow.
B:好吧，但是明天一定要买到。Hǎo ba, dànshì míngtiān yídìng yào mǎidào.Fine, but tomorrow we definitely have to buy it.

Now B is agreeing to let more guys into his secret club.

A:可以带朋友吗？ Kěyǐ dài péngyou ma ? Can I bring friends?
B:行吧，但是不能带女孩。 Xíng ba, dànshì bù néng dài nǚhái.All right, but you can't bring girls.

Now B is having a friend cancel plans on him. Not a good day for B!

A:我今天不太舒服，你可以自己去吗？ Wǒ jīntiān bù tài shūfu, nǐ kěyǐ zìjǐ qù ma?I'm not feeling well today. Can you go by yourself?
B:好吧，那你休息吧。 Hǎo ba, nà nǐ xiūxi ba.All right, rest well then.

Sources and further reading

Books

{{Source|Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)]] →buy {{Source|Short-term Spoken Chinese: Pre-Intermediate (汉语口语速成提高篇)|52-3)

Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇) (p.98]] (pp. {{{2}}}) [ →buy] Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇) (p.98| ]]{{{2}}}␞Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇) (p.98␞Conceding with "ba"| ]]
Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (pp. 55) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 246) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Stub}}
+{{Grammar Box}}
-As well as [[Softening speech with "ba"|softening a sentence]], the particle 吧 can also be used to ''concede''. That is, 吧 can be used to accept something that you're not particularly happy about. 吧 is simply placed on the end of a sentence or statement.
+The particle 吧 (ba) can also be used to ''concede'' a point. That is, 吧 (ba) can be used to accept or agree with something that you're not particularly happy about, the way we might use "all right" or "fine then" in English.
-Some examples:
+== Structure ==
+Similar to [[吧|other uses of 吧]] (ba), this usage is also simply placed on the end of a sentence or statement.
+<div class="jiegou">
+Statement + 吧
+</div>
+== Examples ==
+To understand what someone is conceding to, it's best to present this usage as a number of super short dialogs which provide a little context.
+In this first one, B has to accept that his luxury goods shopping dreams have been shattered.
+<div class="liju">
+<ul class="dialog">
+<li><span class="speaker">A:</span>太 贵 了！<span class="pinyin">Tài guì le! </span><span class="trans">That's too expensive! </span></li>
+<li><span class="speaker">B:</span>好 <em>吧</em>，我们 可以 看看 别的。<span class="pinyin"> Hǎo <em> ba</em>, wǒmen kěyǐ kànkan biéde.</span><span class="trans">All right, we can take a look at something else.</span></li>
+</ul>
+</div>
+Now B must accept inconvenient schedule changes.
+<div class="liju">
+<ul class="dialog">
+<li><span class="speaker">A:</span>下午 我 不 在 家，你 可以 晚上 来 吗？<span class="pinyin">Xiàwǔ wǒ bù zài jiā, nǐ kěyǐ wǎnshang lái ma? </span><span class="trans">This afternoon I won't be home. Can you come by this evening? </span></li>
+<li><span class="speaker">B:</span>行 <em>吧</em>。<span class="pinyin">Xíng <em>ba</em>.</span><span class="trans">All right.</span></li>
+</ul>
+</div>
+B is now conceding that going out in this crazy rain doesn't make sense.
 <div class="liju">
+<ul class="dialog">
+<li><span class="speaker">A:</span>雨 太 大 了，明天 再 去 买 吧。<span class="pinyin"> Yǔ tài dà le, míngtiān zài qù mǎi ba.</span><span class="trans">It's raining heavily. Let's go buy it tomorrow.</span></li>
+<li><span class="speaker">B:</span>好 <em>吧</em>，但是 明天 一定 要 买到 。<span class="pinyin">Hǎo <em> ba</em>, dànshì míngtiān yídìng yào mǎidào.</span><span class="trans">Fine, but tomorrow we definitely have to buy it.</span></li>
+</ul>
+</div>
-* 好 <em>吧</em>。
+Now B is agreeing to let more guys into his secret club.
-* 可以 <em>吧</em>。
-* 没关系 <em>吧</em>。
+<div class="liju">
+<ul class="dialog">
+<li><span class="speaker">A:</span>可以 带 朋友 吗？<span class="pinyin"> Kěyǐ dài péngyou ma ?</span><span class="trans"> Can I bring friends? </span></li>
+<li><span class="speaker">B:</span>行 <em>吧</em>， 但是 不 能 带 女孩。<span class="pinyin"> Xíng <em> ba</em>, dànshì bù néng dài nǚhái.</span><span class="trans">All right, but you can't bring girls.</span></li>
+</ul>
+</div>
+Now B is having a friend cancel plans on him. Not a good day for B!
+<div class="liju">
+<ul class="dialog">
+<li><span class="speaker">A:</span>我 今天 不 太 舒服，你 可以 自己 去 吗？ <span class="pinyin"> Wǒ jīntiān bù tài shūfu, nǐ kěyǐ zìjǐ qù ma?</span><span class="trans">I'm not feeling well today. Can you go by yourself?</span></li>
+<li><span class="speaker">B:</span>好 <em>吧</em>， 那 你 休息 吧。<span class="pinyin"> Hǎo <em>ba</em>, nà nǐ xiūxi ba.</span><span class="trans">All right, rest well then.</span></li>
+</ul>
 </div>
 ==See also==
 *[[Softening speech with "ba"]]
-*[[Suggestions with ba]]
+*[[Suggestions with "ba"]]
-*[[Expressing Contrariness with "dao"]]
+*[[Expressing contrariness with "dao"]]
+== Sources and further reading ==
+=== Books ===
+{{Source|Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)]] [http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ →buy]
+{{Source|Short-term Spoken Chinese: Pre-Intermediate (汉语口语速成提高篇)|52-3)
+{{Source|Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)]] (p.98}}
+{{Source|Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇)|55}}
+{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)|246}}
 [[Category:A2 grammar points]]
+{{HSK|HSK2}}{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
+{{Basic Grammar|吧|A2|⋯⋯吧|那 好 <em>吧</em>。|grammar point|ASGJIP2E}}
+{{Similar|Softening speech with "ba"}}
+{{Similar|Suggestions with ba}}
+{{Used for|Expressing attitude}}
+{{POS|Particles}}