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.)

  • 你好 ! Nǐhǎo a!Hey, how's it going!
  • (Banging fist on table...)Duì a! You're right!
  • 你 的 男朋友 真 帅 (Upon seeing a picture of said boyfriend.)Nǐ de nánpéngyou zhēn shuài a! Your boyfriend's so handsome!
  • , 好 ! 我去 !Hǎo a, hǎo a! Wǒqù! OK, OK! I'll go!
  • 这里 好 漂亮 Zhèlǐ hǎo piàoliang a! This place is so pretty!
  • 这个 菜 真 好吃 Zhège cài zhēn hǎochī a! This dish is really delicious!
  • 哇 , 好 香 ! 什么东西 ? Wā, hǎo xiāng a! Shénme dōngxī? Woah, it smells great! What is it?
  • 没 问题 ! 我 帮 你 。 Méi wèntí a! Wǒ bāng nǐ. No problem! I'll help you!
  • 好 吵 ! 我们 走 吧 。 Hǎo chǎo a! Wǒmen zǒu bā. So noisy! Let's leave.
  • 学 中文 真 难 Xué Zhōngwén zhēn nán a! Learning Chinese is so hard!

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.

  • ,我 也 觉得 !Definitely, I agree!
  • 小心 Be careful!
  • 快点 Quickly!
  • 这 个 人 真 没 礼貌 This person really has no manners!
  • 不要 忘 了 开会 Don't forget to have the meeting!
  • 我们 都 去 We're all going!
  • 不 知道 I don't know!
  • 可以 It's fine!
  • 你 吃 ! 不要 不好意思 。Eat it! Don't be embarrassed.
  • 天天 加班 , 累 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 Are you going or what?
  • 你 去 哪儿 Where are you going?
  • 你 怎么样 So how have you been?
  • 你 是 谁 Who are you?
  • 谁 说 的 Who said so?
  • 你 为什么 来 这里 What are you doing coming here?
  • 你 傻 What are you, stupid?
  • 看 什么 ? 没 见 过 漂亮 姑娘 What are you looking at? Have you never seen a pretty girl before?
  • 他们 结婚 了 ?真 的 They got married? Seriously?
  • 你 真 不 知道 You really don't know?

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

See also

Sources and further reading

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