Sentence-final interjection "a"

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.\r\n==啊 expressing exclamation==\r\nWhen 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.)\r\n

\r\n* 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!

\r\n==啊 expressing certainty or urgency==\r\n啊 can also add a sense of certainty or urgency to a statement, sometimes with the feeling of an order.\r\n

\r\n* 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!\r\n

\r\n==啊 used in questions==\r\nFinally, it can be used with questions, again with a sense of urgency or concern for the listener.\r\n

\r\n* 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?\r\n

\r\nThis is very similar to one of the usages of 呢, but has an added sense of urgency.\r\n==See also==

Questions with ne

Suggestions with ba

Listing Things with "a"\r\n== Sources and further reading ==\r\n=== Books ===\r\n*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\r\n