Difference between revisions of "Expressing the self-evident with "ma""

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*你 妹妹 很 漂亮 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ mèimei hěn piàoliang <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">Your sister is pretty.</span>
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*你 妹妹 很 漂亮 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="expl">She's clearly pretty.</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ mèimei hěn piàoliang <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">Your sister is pretty.</span>
*他 挺 有钱 的 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā jiā tǐng yǒuqián de <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">His family is pretty rich.</span>
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*他 挺 有钱 的 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="expl">He has shown that's he's rich.</span><span class="pinyin">Tā tǐng yǒuqián de <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">He is pretty rich.</span>
*不 想 去 就 不要 去 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Bù xiǎng qù jiù bùyào qù <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">If you don't wanna go, don't go.</span>
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*不 想 去 就 不要 去 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="expl">Clearly you don't have to.</span><span class="pinyin">Bù xiǎng qù jiù bùyào qù <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">If you don't wanna go, don't go.</span>
*你 别 太 谦虚 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bié tài qiānxū <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">Don't be too modest.</span>
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*你 别 太 谦虚 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="expl">Obviously you're being super modest.</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ bié tài qiānxū <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">Don't be too modest.</span>
*大家 有 话 就 说 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Dàjiā yǒu huà jiù shuō <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">Guys, you should say whatever you want to say.</span>
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*大家 有 话 就 说 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="expl">Clearly you can just say it.</span><span class="pinyin">Dàjiā yǒu huà jiù shuō <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">Guys, just say whatever you have to say.</span>
*你 跟 他 很 熟 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ gēn tā hěn shóu <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">You two know each other well.</span>
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*你 跟 他 很 熟 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="expl">You two are obviously well acquainted.</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ gēn tā hěn shóu <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">You two know each other well.</span>
*开 慢点 ,安全 第一 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Kāi màn diǎn, ānquán dìyī <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">Drive slowly. Safety first.</span>
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*开 慢 点 ,安全 第一 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="expl">We all know: safety first!</span><span class="pinyin">Kāi màn diǎn, ānquán dìyī <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">Drive slowly. Safety first.</span>
*不用 塑料袋 更 环保 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Bùyòng sùliàodài gèng huánbǎo <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">It's more environmentally friendly not to use plastic bags.</span>
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*不用 塑料袋 更 环保 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="expl">You know you should be eco-friendly!</span><span class="pinyin">Bùyòng sùliàodài gèng huánbǎo <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">It's more environmentally friendly not to use plastic bags.</span>
*这个 老外 很 了解 中国 文化 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège lǎowài hěn liǎojiě Zhōngguó wénhuà <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">This foreigner know a lot about Chinese culture.</span>
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*这个 老外 很 了解 中国 文化 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="expl">He has amazed us all.</span><span class="pinyin">Zhège lǎowài hěn liǎojiě Zhōngguó wénhuà <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">This foreigner knows a lot about Chinese culture.</span>
*别 担心 ,一边 工作 一边 学 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Bié dānxīn, yībiān gōngzuò yībiān xué <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">Don't worry. You can learn while you work.</span>
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*别 担心 ,一边 工作 一边 学 <em>嘛</em> 。<span class="expl">Clearly this takes time to learn.</span><span class="pinyin">Bié dānxīn, yībiān gōngzuò yībiān xué <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">Don't worry. You can learn as you work.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 02:53, 13 November 2018

The particle 嘛 (ma) is a sentence-final particle identical in pronunciation to the simple "yes/no question" particle 吗 (ma) you learned back in the day, but with a rather different function. It can be used when the speaker feels what he is saying is obvious (from his point of view).

Structure

Statement + 嘛

Examples

  • 你 妹妹 很 漂亮 She's clearly pretty.Nǐ mèimei hěn piàoliang ma.Your sister is pretty.
  • 他 挺 有钱 的 He has shown that's he's rich.Tā tǐng yǒuqián de ma.He is pretty rich.
  • 不 想 去 就 不要 去 Clearly you don't have to.Bù xiǎng qù jiù bùyào qù ma.If you don't wanna go, don't go.
  • 你 别 太 谦虚 Obviously you're being super modest.Nǐ bié tài qiānxū ma.Don't be too modest.
  • 大家 有 话 就 说 Clearly you can just say it.Dàjiā yǒu huà jiù shuō ma.Guys, just say whatever you have to say.
  • 你 跟 他 很 熟 You two are obviously well acquainted.Nǐ gēn tā hěn shóu ma.You two know each other well.
  • 开 慢 点 ,安全 第一 We all know: safety first!Kāi màn diǎn, ānquán dìyī ma.Drive slowly. Safety first.
  • 不用 塑料袋 更 环保 You know you should be eco-friendly!Bùyòng sùliàodài gèng huánbǎo ma.It's more environmentally friendly not to use plastic bags.
  • 这个 老外 很 了解 中国 文化 He has amazed us all.Zhège lǎowài hěn liǎojiě Zhōngguó wénhuà ma.This foreigner knows a lot about Chinese culture.
  • 别 担心 ,一边 工作 一边 学 Clearly this takes time to learn.Bié dānxīn, yībiān gōngzuò yībiān xué ma.Don't worry. You can learn as you work.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites