Sentence-final interjection "a"
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
The interjection 啊 (ā) 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.
- 你好 啊! (Hey, how're you doing!)Hey, hello!
- 对 啊！(Banging fist on table...Yeah, you're right!)Right!
- 你 的 男朋友 真 帅 啊！(Upon seeing a picture of the said boyfriend.)Your boyfriend's so handsome!
- 好啊，好啊！我去！
- 这里好漂亮啊！
- 这个菜好好吃啊！
- 哇，好香啊！什么东西？
- 没问题啊！我帮你。
- 好吵啊！我们走吧。
- 学中文真难啊！
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!)It is, I agree!
- 小心 啊！(Careful!) Be careful!
- 快点 啊！(Come on, get on with it!)Quickly!
- 这个人好没礼貌啊！
- 不要忘了开会啊！
- 我们都去啊！
- 不知道啊！
- 可以啊！
- 你吃啊！不要不好意思。
- 天天加班，累啊！
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??)You going or not going？
- 你 去 哪儿 啊？(Where are you going??)You going where?
- 你 怎么样 啊？(So how have you been?)How have you been?
- 你是谁啊？
- 谁说的啊？
- 你来这里干吗啊？
- 你傻啊？
- 看什么啊？没见过漂亮姑娘啊？
- 他们结婚了？真的啊？
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
