Difference between revisions of "Sentence-final interjection "a""
m (Text replace - "(\r?\n){2}" to "\r\n") |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Grammar Box}} | {{Grammar Box}} | ||
| − | 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. | + | 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== | ||
| + | |||
| + | When used like this, 啊 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.) | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | * 你好 <em>啊</em>! <span class="trans">Hey, how's it going!</span> | ||
* 对 <em>啊</em>！<span class="expl">(Banging fist on table...)</span><span class="trans">You're right!</span> | * 对 <em>啊</em>！<span class="expl">(Banging fist on table...)</span><span class="trans">You're right!</span> | ||
* 你 的 男朋友 真 帅 <em>啊</em>！<span class="expl">(Upon seeing a picture of said boyfriend.)</span><span class="trans">Your boyfriend's so handsome!</span> | * 你 的 男朋友 真 帅 <em>啊</em>！<span class="expl">(Upon seeing a picture of said boyfriend.)</span><span class="trans">Your boyfriend's so handsome!</span> | ||
| Line 10: | Line 18: | ||
* 好 吵 <em>啊</em> ！ 我们 走 吧 。<span class="trans">So noisy! Let's leave.</span> | * 好 吵 <em>啊</em> ！ 我们 走 吧 。<span class="trans">So noisy! Let's leave.</span> | ||
* 学 中文 真 难 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="trans">Learning Chinese is so hard!</span> | * 学 中文 真 难 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="trans">Learning Chinese is so hard!</span> | ||
| − | </div> | + | </div> |
| + | |||
| + | ==啊 expressing certainty or urgency== | ||
| + | |||
| + | 啊 can also add a sense of certainty or urgency to a statement, sometimes with the feeling of an order. | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | * 是 <em>啊</em>，我 也 觉得 ！<span class="trans">Definitely, I agree!</span> | ||
* 小心 <em>啊</em>！ <span class="trans">Be careful!</span> | * 小心 <em>啊</em>！ <span class="trans">Be careful!</span> | ||
* 快点 <em>啊</em>！ <span class="trans">Quickly!</span> | * 快点 <em>啊</em>！ <span class="trans">Quickly!</span> | ||
| Line 19: | Line 35: | ||
* 可以 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="trans">It's fine!</span> | * 可以 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="trans">It's fine!</span> | ||
* 你 吃 <em>啊</em> ！ 不要 不好意思 。<span class="trans">Eat it! Don't be embarrassed.</span> | * 你 吃 <em>啊</em> ！ 不要 不好意思 。<span class="trans">Eat it! Don't be embarrassed.</span> | ||
| − | * 天天 加班 ， 累 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="trans">Working overtime every day is so tiring!</span> | + | * 天天 加班 ， 累 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="trans">Working overtime every day is so tiring!</span> |
| + | |||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==啊 used in questions== | ||
| + | |||
| + | Finally, it can be used with questions, again with a sense of urgency or concern for the listener. | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | * 你 走 不 走 <em>啊</em> ？ <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 去 哪儿 <em>啊</em> ？ <span class="trans">Where are you going?</span> | ||
* 你 怎么样 <em>啊</em> ？ <span class="trans">So how have you been?</span> | * 你 怎么样 <em>啊</em> ？ <span class="trans">So how have you been?</span> | ||
| Line 27: | Line 53: | ||
* 你 傻 <em>啊</em> ？<span class="trans">What are you, stupid?</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> | * 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> | + | * 他们 结婚 了 ？真的 <em>啊</em> ？<span class="trans">They got married? Seriously?</span> |
| + | |||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | This is very similar to one of the usages of [[呢]], but has an added sense of urgency. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==See also== | ||
*[[Questions with ne]] | *[[Questions with ne]] | ||
*[[Suggestions with ba]] | *[[Suggestions with ba]] | ||
| − | *[[Listing Things with "a"]] | + | *[[Listing Things with "a"]] |
| − | * [[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] | + | |
| + | == Sources and further reading == | ||
| + | |||
| + | === 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] | ||
| + | * [[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] | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Category: A2 grammar points]] | ||
[[Category: Particles ]] | [[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}} | ||
Revision as of 08:54, 26 November 2013
-
Level
-
Similar to
-
Used for
-
Keywords
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.
Contents
啊 expressing exclamation
When used like this, 啊 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.)
- 你好 啊! Hey, how's it going!
- 对 啊！(Banging fist on table...)You're right!
- 你 的 男朋友 真 帅 啊！(Upon seeing a picture of said boyfriend.)Your boyfriend's so handsome!
- 好啊，好啊！我去！OK, OK! I'll go!
- 这里 好 漂亮 啊 ！This place is so pretty!
- 这个 菜 好 好吃 啊 ！This dish looks delicious!
- 哇，好 香 啊 ！什么东西？Woah, it smells great! What is it?
- 没 问题 啊 ！ 我 帮 你 。No problem! I'll help you!
- 好 吵 啊 ！ 我们 走 吧 。So noisy! Let's leave.
- 学 中文 真 难 啊 ！Learning Chinese is so hard!
啊 expressing certainty or urgency
啊 can also add a sense of certainty or urgency to a statement, sometimes with the feeling of an order.
- 是 啊，我 也 觉得 ！Definitely, I agree!
- 小心 啊！ Be careful!
- 快点 啊！ Quickly!
- 这 个 人 好 没 礼貌 啊 ！This person really has no manners!
- 不要 忘 了 开会 啊 ！Don't forget to have the meeting!
- 我们 都 去 啊 ！We're all going!
- 不 知道 啊 ！I don't know!
- 可以 啊 ！It's fine!
- 你 吃 啊 ！ 不要 不好意思 。Eat it! Don't be embarrassed.
- 天天 加班 ， 累 啊 ！Working overtime every day is so tiring!
啊 used in questions
Finally, it can be used with questions, again with a sense of urgency or concern for the listener.
- 你 走 不 走 啊 ？ Are you going or what?
- 你 去 哪儿 啊 ？ Where are you going?
- 你 怎么样 啊 ？ So how have you been?
- 你 是 谁 啊 ？Who are you?
- 谁 说 的 啊？Who said so?
- 你 来 这里 干吗 啊？What are you doing coming here?
- 你 傻 啊 ？What are you, stupid?
- 看 什么 啊 ？ 没 见 过 漂亮 姑娘 啊 ？What are you looking at? Have you never seen a pretty girl before?
- 他们 结婚 了 ？真的 啊 ？They got married? Seriously?
This is very similar to one of the usages of 呢, but has an added sense of urgency.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp.142-3) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 51-4) →buy
