Sentence-final interjection "a"
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Level
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Used for
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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 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 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 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
