Sentence-final interjection "a"

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 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.)

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!
这个菜真好吃啊！This dish is really 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 (a) 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!
这个人真没礼貌啊！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?
你为什么来这里啊？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?
你真不知道啊？You really don't know?

This is very similar to one of the usages of 呢 (ne), but has an added sense of urgency.

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