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.

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).

• 对 啊 ！ (Banging fist on table...) Duì a! You're right!
• 这里 好 漂亮 啊 ！Zhèlǐ hǎo piàoliang a! This place is so pretty!
• 没 问题 啊 ！ 我 帮 你。Méi wèntí a! Wǒ bāng nǐ. No problem! I'll help you!
• 学 中文 真 难 啊 ！Xué Zhōngwén zhēn nán a! Learning Chinese is so hard!
• 好 香 啊 ！什么东西 ？ Hǎo xiāng a! Shénme dōngxī? It smells great! What is it?

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 ！Shì a, wǒ yě juéde! Definitely, I agree!
• 小心 啊 ！Xiǎoxīn a! Be careful!
• 可以 啊 ！Kěyǐ a It's fine!
• 你 吃 啊 ！不要 不好意思。 Nǐ chī a! Bùyào bùhǎoyìsi. Eat it! Don't be embarrassed.
• 天天 加班， 累 啊 ！Tiāntiān jiābān, lèi a! 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 ？ Nǐ zǒu bù zǒu a? Are you going or what?
• 谁 说 的 啊 ？ Shéi shuō de a? Who said so?
• 你 傻 啊 ？ Nǐ shǎ a? What are you, stupid?
• 看 什么 啊 ？ 没 见 过 漂亮 姑娘 啊 ？ Kàn shénme a? Méi jiàn guò piàoliang gūniang a? What are you looking at? Have you never seen a pretty girl before?
• 你 疯 了 啊 ？ Nǐ fēng le a? You crazy?

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

See also

• Questions with ne
• Suggestions with ba
• Listing Things with "a"

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