Conceding with "ba"

The particle 吧 (ba) can also be used to concede a point. That is, 吧 (ba) can be used to accept or agree with something that you're not particularly happy about.

Structure

Similar to other uses of 吧 (ba), this usage is also simply placed on the end of a sentence or statement.

Statement + 吧

Examples

• 好 吧。 (This is the most common usage.)Alright.
• 那 好 吧。That's fine.
• 我 想 应该 可以 吧。 (This infers that there is a previous suggestion or question)I think it should be OK.
• 好 吧，我们 试 试 吧。All right, let's give it a try.
• 你 不 去？好 吧，我 一 个 人 去。You're not going? Fine, then I'll go alone.
• 好 吧，那 不 买 了。Fine, then I won't buy it.
• 好 吧，出去 吃 饭。All right, we'll go out to eat.
• 不 饿？ 好 吧，那 你 少 吃 点。You're not hungry? OK, then eat less.
• 好 吧，你 自己 决定 。All right, you decide yourself
• 好 吧，不 跟 他 一起 去 。Fine, I won't go with you.

See also

• Softening speech with "ba"
• Suggestions with "ba"
• Expressing contrariness with "dao"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) →buy
• Short-term Spoken Chinese: Pre-Intermediate (汉语口语速成提高篇) (pp. 52-3)
• Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇) (p.98) →buy
• Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (p. 55) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (p. 246) →buy