Difference between revisions of "Softening speech with "ba""
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| − | * 这样 不 太 好 <em>吧</em>。 | + | * 这样 不 太 好 <em>吧</em>。<span class="trans">This style isn't that great.</span> |
| − | * 算了 <em>吧</em>。 | + | * 算了 <em>吧</em>。<span class="trans">Just forget it.</span> |
| − | * 应该 是 <em>吧</em>。 | + | * 应该 是 <em>吧</em>。<span class="trans">It should be. [referring to some context]</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 04:15, 3 June 2013
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
Structure
The particle 吧 can be used to soften the feel of a sentence. This could be to make it more polite, gentler and less forceful, or to turn a command into a suggestion. The structure is:
Subject + Verb + Object + 吧
Examples
- 这样 不 太 好 吧。This style isn't that great.
- 算了 吧。Just forget it.
- 应该 是 吧。It should be. [referring to some context]
Note that to make suggestions for a group of people including oneself, 咱们 is often used with 吧.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) →buy
- Short-term Spoken Chinese: Pre-Intermediate (汉语口语速成提高篇) (pp. 52-3)
- Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇) (98) →buy
- Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (pp. 55) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 246) →buy
