Difference between revisions of "Marking a topic with "ma""

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The particle 嘛 (ma) can be used for topic marking. It basically allows the speaker to state the topic, then gather his thoughts before making a comment on it. Unlike [[Expressing the self-evident with "ma"|the sentence-final 嘛 pattern]] you may know, the following comment ''may or may not'' be one the speaker feels is obvious.
 
 
嘛 (ma) can be used for topic marking. It basically allows the speaker to state the topic, then gather his thoughts before making a comment on it. In this pattern, the following comment may or may not be one the speaker feels is obvious.
 
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
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*大 熊猫<em>嘛</em> ,大家 都 喜欢 。<span class="pinyin">Dà xióngmāo <em>ma</em>, dàjiā dōu xǐhuan.</span><span class="trans">Pandas. Everybody likes them.</span>
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*大 熊猫 <em>嘛</em> ,大家 都 喜欢 。<span class="pinyin">Dà xióngmāo <em>ma</em>, dàjiā dōu xǐhuan.</span><span class="trans">Pandas. Everybody likes them.</span>
*名牌 <em>嘛</em> ,一定 不 便宜 。<span class="pinyin">Míngpái <em>ma</em>, yīdìng bù piányi.</span><span class="trans">Brandname. It can't be cheap.</span>
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*名牌 <em>嘛</em> ,一定 不 便宜 。<span class="pinyin">Míngpái <em>ma</em>, yīdìng bù piányi.</span><span class="trans">Well, it's a name brand. It can't be cheap.</span>
*第 一 次 <em>嘛</em> ,以后 就 会 了 。<span class="pinyin">Dì-yī cì <em>ma</em>, yǐhòu jiù huì le.</span><span class="trans">First time. You'll learn soon.</span>
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*第 一 次 <em>嘛</em> ,以后 就 会 了 。<span class="pinyin">Dì-yī cì <em>ma</em>, yǐhòu jiù huì le.</span><span class="trans">First time. You'll get the hang of it soon.</span>
*孩子 <em>嘛</em> ,不 懂 这些 很 正常 。<span class="pinyin">Háizi <em>ma</em>, bù dǒng zhèxiē hěn zhèngcháng.</span><span class="trans">Kids. It's common that they don't understand these things .</span>
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*孩子 <em>嘛</em> ,不 懂 这些 很 正常 。<span class="pinyin">Háizi <em>ma</em>, bù dǒng zhèxiē hěn zhèngcháng.</span><span class="trans">Kids. It's not unusual that they don't understand these things.</span>
*老板 请客 <em>嘛</em> ,当然 要 大方 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn qǐngkè <em>ma</em>, dāngrán yào dàfang.</span><span class="trans">The boss is buying. Of course I need to be generous.</span>
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*老板 请客 <em>嘛</em> ,随便 点 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn qǐngkè <em>ma</em>, suíbiàn diǎn.</span><span class="trans">The boss is buying. Order whatever you want.</span>
*上海 <em>嘛</em> ,都是 这样 的。<span class="pinyin">Shànghǎi <em>ma</em>, dōu shì zhèyàng de.</span><span class="trans">Shanghai. It's just like that.</span>
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*上海 <em>嘛</em> ,菜 都 是 这样 的。<span class="pinyin">Shànghǎi <em>ma</em>, cài dōu shì zhèyàng de.</span><span class="trans">It's Shanghai. All the food here is like this.</span>
*比赛 <em>嘛</em> ,不 紧张 是 不 可能 的。<span class="pinyin">Bǐsài <em>ma</em>, bù jǐnzhāng shì bù kěnéng de.</span><span class="trans">Competition. It's not possible to not be nervous.</span>
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*比赛 <em>嘛</em> ,不 紧张 是 不 可能 的。<span class="pinyin">Bǐsài <em>ma</em>, bù jǐnzhāng shì bù kěnéng de.</span><span class="trans">It's a competition. It's not possible to not be nervous.</span>
*这 不 是 缘分 <em>嘛</em> ,我们 两 个 都 喜欢 周杰伦。<span class="pinyin">Zhè bù shì yuánfèn <em>ma</em>, wǒmen liǎng gè dōu xǐhuān Zhōu Jiélún.</span><span class="trans">It's fate that we both like Jay Chou.</span>
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*这 不 是 缘分 <em>嘛</em> ,我们 两 个 都 喜欢 周杰伦。<span class="pinyin">Yuánfèn <em>ma</em>, wǒmen liǎng gè dōu xǐhuān Zhōu Jiélún.</span><span class="trans">It's fate: we both like Jay Chou.</span>
*学生 <em>嘛</em> ,就 应该 有 学生 的样子。<span class="pinyin">Xuéshēng <em>ma</em>, jiù yīnggāi yǒu xuéshēng de yàngzi.</span><span class="trans">Students. They're just like that.</span>
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*学生 <em>嘛</em> ,就 应该 有 学生 的 样子。<span class="pinyin">Xuéshēng <em>ma</em>, jiù yīnggāi yǒu xuéshēng de yàngzi.</span><span class="trans">Students. They should act like students.</span>
 
*开车 <em>嘛</em> ,最 重要 的 是 安全。<span class="pinyin">Kāichē <em>ma</em>, zuì zhòngyào de shì ānquán.</span><span class="trans">When it comes to driving, the most important thing is safety.</span>
 
*开车 <em>嘛</em> ,最 重要 的 是 安全。<span class="pinyin">Kāichē <em>ma</em>, zuì zhòngyào de shì ānquán.</span><span class="trans">When it comes to driving, the most important thing is safety.</span>
 
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Revision as of 03:51, 18 November 2020

The particle 嘛 (ma) can be used for topic marking. It basically allows the speaker to state the topic, then gather his thoughts before making a comment on it. Unlike the sentence-final 嘛 pattern you may know, the following comment may or may not be one the speaker feels is obvious.

Structure

Topic + 嘛 ,Statement

Examples

  • 大 熊猫 ,大家 都 喜欢 。Dà xióngmāo ma, dàjiā dōu xǐhuan.Pandas. Everybody likes them.
  • 名牌 ,一定 不 便宜 。Míngpái ma, yīdìng bù piányi.Well, it's a name brand. It can't be cheap.
  • 第 一 次 ,以后 就 会 了 。Dì-yī cì ma, yǐhòu jiù huì le.First time. You'll get the hang of it soon.
  • 孩子 ,不 懂 这些 很 正常 。Háizi ma, bù dǒng zhèxiē hěn zhèngcháng.Kids. It's not unusual that they don't understand these things.
  • 老板 请客 ,随便 点 。Lǎobǎn qǐngkè ma, suíbiàn diǎn.The boss is buying. Order whatever you want.
  • 上海 ,菜 都 是 这样 的。Shànghǎi ma, cài dōu shì zhèyàng de.It's Shanghai. All the food here is like this.
  • 比赛 ,不 紧张 是 不 可能 的。Bǐsài ma, bù jǐnzhāng shì bù kěnéng de.It's a competition. It's not possible to not be nervous.
  • 这 不 是 缘分 ,我们 两 个 都 喜欢 周杰伦。Yuánfèn ma, wǒmen liǎng gè dōu xǐhuān Zhōu Jiélún.It's fate: we both like Jay Chou.
  • 学生 ,就 应该 有 学生 的 样子。Xuéshēng ma, jiù yīnggāi yǒu xuéshēng de yàngzi.Students. They should act like students.
  • 开车 ,最 重要 的 是 安全。Kāichē ma, zuì zhòngyào de shì ānquán.When it comes to driving, the most important thing is safety.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK5