Reviewing options with "ba"

When 吧 (ba) is used twice in a sentence, it is used to list two options that the speaker is debating. It gives the sentence an indecisive feel, as though the speaker doesn't know which one to choose. This construction often has a negative connotation, since the options usually are not ideal.

Structure

[Option 1] + 吧 ，⋯⋯ ， [Option 2] + 吧，⋯⋯ 。

If this structure doesn't seem clear to you, the examples will help.

Examples

• 不 说 吧 ，他 还 会 做 错 ；说 吧，他 肯定 不 高兴 。 Bù shuō ba, tā hái huì zuò cuò; shuō ba, tā kěndìng bù gāoxìng..
• 回去 吧 ，机票 太 贵 ；不 回去 吧 ，家人 肯定 会 想 我 。 Huíqù ba, jīpiào tài guì ； bù huíqù ba, jiārén kěndìng huì xiǎng wǒ.Going back, the air ticket is too expensive; Not going back, my family definitely miss me.
• 冬天 去 吧 ，太 冷；夏天 去 吧 ，太 热 。 Dōngtiān qù ba, tài lěng; xiàtiān qù ba, tài rè.Going in the winter is too cold, going in the summer is too hot.
• 工作 吧 ，太 累 ；不 工作 吧 ，。 Qù xuéxiào gōngzuò ba, qián tài shǎo; qù gōngsī ba, tài lèi.Working at the school, the pay is too little, but working at a company is too tiring.
• 买 吧 ，不 想 花 钱 ；不 买 吧 ， 又 很 喜欢 。 Zhè jiàn yīfu, mǎi ba, tài guì; bù mǎi ba, yòu hěn xǐhuan.If I buy these clothes, they're too expensive, but if I don't buy them, I'll really want them.
• 早 去 吧 ，需要 等 ；晚 去 吧 ，会 堵车 。 If we go early we'll have to wait, but if we go later, there will be too much traffic.

HSK4

[[pattern::[Option 1] 吧 ，⋯⋯ ；[Option 2] 吧 ，⋯⋯。| ]]