Difference between revisions of "Reviewing options with "ba""

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*冬天 去 <em>吧</em> ,太 冷 ;夏天 去 <em>吧</em> ,太 热 。<span class="pinyin">Dōngtiān qù <em>ba</em>, tài lěng ; xiàtiān qù <em>ba</em>, tài rè.</span><span class="trans">Going in the winter is too cold, going in the summer is too hot.</span>
 
*冬天 去 <em>吧</em> ,太 冷 ;夏天 去 <em>吧</em> ,太 热 。<span class="pinyin">Dōngtiān qù <em>ba</em>, tài lěng ; xiàtiān qù <em>ba</em>, tài rè.</span><span class="trans">Going in the winter is too cold, going in the summer is too hot.</span>
 
*早点 去 <em>吧</em> ,要 等 ;晚点 去 <em>吧</em> ,会 堵车 。<span class="pinyin">Zǎo diǎn qù <em>bā</em>, ào děng ; wǎn diǎn qù <em>bā</em>, yòu dǔchē.</span> <span class="trans">If we go early we'll have to wait, but if we go later, there will be too much traffic.</span>
 
*早点 去 <em>吧</em> ,要 等 ;晚点 去 <em>吧</em> ,会 堵车 。<span class="pinyin">Zǎo diǎn qù <em>bā</em>, ào děng ; wǎn diǎn qù <em>bā</em>, yòu dǔchē.</span> <span class="trans">If we go early we'll have to wait, but if we go later, there will be too much traffic.</span>
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*穿 得 多 一点 <em>吧</em> ,会 热 ;穿 得 少 一点 <em>吧</em> ,会 冷 。<span class="pinyin">Chuān de duō yīdiǎn <em>ba</em>, huì rè; chuān de shǎo yīdiǎn <em>ba</em>, huì lěng.</span><span class="trans">Wearing a little more, it will be hot; Wearing a little less, it will be cold.</span>
 
*带 你 去 <em>吧</em> ,你 总是 不 听话 ;不 带 你 去 <em>吧</em> ,你 一个人 肯定 无聊 。<span class="pinyin">Dài nǐ qù <em>ba</em>, nǐ zǒngshì bù tīnghuà; bù dài nǐ qù <em>ba</em>, nǐ yīgèrén kěndìng wúliáo.</span><span class="trans">If I take you with me, you will be naughty like always; If I don't take you, you will definitely be bored.</span>
 
*带 你 去 <em>吧</em> ,你 总是 不 听话 ;不 带 你 去 <em>吧</em> ,你 一个人 肯定 无聊 。<span class="pinyin">Dài nǐ qù <em>ba</em>, nǐ zǒngshì bù tīnghuà; bù dài nǐ qù <em>ba</em>, nǐ yīgèrén kěndìng wúliáo.</span><span class="trans">If I take you with me, you will be naughty like always; If I don't take you, you will definitely be bored.</span>
 
*去 <em>吧</em> ,要 给 红包 ;不 去 <em>吧</em> ,他 没 面子 。<span class="pinyin">Qù <em>ba</em>, yào gěi hóngbāo; bù qù <em>ba</em>, tā méi miànzi.</span><span class="trans">Going there, I need to give a red packet; Not going, he will lose face.</span>
 
*去 <em>吧</em> ,要 给 红包 ;不 去 <em>吧</em> ,他 没 面子 。<span class="pinyin">Qù <em>ba</em>, yào gěi hóngbāo; bù qù <em>ba</em>, tā méi miànzi.</span><span class="trans">Going there, I need to give a red packet; Not going, he will lose face.</span>
 
*不 说 <em>吧</em> ,他 还 会 做 错 ;说 <em>吧</em> ,他 肯定 不 高兴 。<span class="pinyin">Bù shuō <em>ba</em>, tā hái huì zuò cuò ; shuō <em>ba</em>, tā kěndìng bù gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">Not telling him, he will still do it wrong next time; Telling him, he must be upset.</span>
 
*不 说 <em>吧</em> ,他 还 会 做 错 ;说 <em>吧</em> ,他 肯定 不 高兴 。<span class="pinyin">Bù shuō <em>ba</em>, tā hái huì zuò cuò ; shuō <em>ba</em>, tā kěndìng bù gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">Not telling him, he will still do it wrong next time; Telling him, he must be upset.</span>
 
*回去 <em>吧</em> ,机票 太 贵 ;不 回去 <em>吧</em> ,家人 肯定 会 想 我 。<span class="pinyin">Huíqù <em>ba</em>, jīpiào tài guì ; bù huíqù <em>ba</em>, jiārén kěndìng huì xiǎng wǒ.</span><span class="trans">Going back, the air ticket is too expensive; Not going back, my family definitely miss me.</span>
 
*回去 <em>吧</em> ,机票 太 贵 ;不 回去 <em>吧</em> ,家人 肯定 会 想 我 。<span class="pinyin">Huíqù <em>ba</em>, jīpiào tài guì ; bù huíqù <em>ba</em>, jiārén kěndìng huì xiǎng wǒ.</span><span class="trans">Going back, the air ticket is too expensive; Not going back, my family definitely miss me.</span>
 +
*在一起 吧 <em>吧</em> ,总是 吵架 ;分手 <em>吧</em> ,怕 将来 后悔 。<span class="pinyin">Zài yīqǐ ba <em>ba</em>, zǒngshì chǎojià; fēnshǒu <em>ba</em>, pà jiānglái hòuhuǐ.</span><span class="trans">Being with each other, we fight all the time; Breaking up, I'm afraid I will regret in the future.</span>
 +
*说谎 <em>吧</em> ,怕 老婆 发现 ;说 实话 <em>吧</em> ,怕 老婆 生气 。<span class="pinyin">Shuōhuǎng <em>ba</em>, pà lǎopo fāxiàn; shuō shíhuà <em>ba</em>, pà lǎopo shēngqì.</span><span class="trans">Telling a lie, I'm afraid my wife will find out; Telling the truth, I'm afraid she's going to be really mad.</span>
 +
*买 <em>吧</em> ,要 借 钱 ;不 买 <em>吧</em> ,女朋友 肯定 很 失望 。<span class="pinyin">Mǎi <em>ba</em>, yào jièqián; bù mǎi <em>ba</em>, nǚpéngyou kěndìng hěn shīwàng.</span><span class="trans">Buying it, I need to borrow money; Not buying it, my girlfriend is definitely going to be disappointed.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 08:08, 20 November 2017

Chinese-grammar-wiki-Ba.jpg

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

  • 冬天 去 ,太 冷 ;夏天 去 ,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.
  • 早点 去 ,要 等 ;晚点 去 ,会 堵车 。Zǎo diǎn qù , ào děng ; wǎn diǎn qù , yòu dǔchē. If we go early we'll have to wait, but if we go later, there will be too much traffic.
  • 穿 得 多 一点 ,会 热 ;穿 得 少 一点 ,会 冷 。Chuān de duō yīdiǎn ba, huì rè; chuān de shǎo yīdiǎn ba, huì lěng.Wearing a little more, it will be hot; Wearing a little less, it will be cold.
  • 带 你 去 ,你 总是 不 听话 ;不 带 你 去 ,你 一个人 肯定 无聊 。Dài nǐ qù ba, nǐ zǒngshì bù tīnghuà; bù dài nǐ qù ba, nǐ yīgèrén kěndìng wúliáo.If I take you with me, you will be naughty like always; If I don't take you, you will definitely be bored.
  • ,要 给 红包 ;不 去 ,他 没 面子 。ba, yào gěi hóngbāo; bù qù ba, tā méi miànzi.Going there, I need to give a red packet; Not going, he will lose face.
  • 不 说 ,他 还 会 做 错 ;说 ,他 肯定 不 高兴 。Bù shuō ba, tā hái huì zuò cuò ; shuō ba, tā kěndìng bù gāoxìng.Not telling him, he will still do it wrong next time; Telling him, he must be upset.
  • 回去 ,机票 太 贵 ;不 回去 ,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.
  • 在一起 吧 ,总是 吵架 ;分手 ,怕 将来 后悔 。Zài yīqǐ ba ba, zǒngshì chǎojià; fēnshǒu ba, pà jiānglái hòuhuǐ.Being with each other, we fight all the time; Breaking up, I'm afraid I will regret in the future.
  • 说谎 ,怕 老婆 发现 ;说 实话 ,怕 老婆 生气 。Shuōhuǎng ba, pà lǎopo fāxiàn; shuō shíhuà ba, pà lǎopo shēngqì.Telling a lie, I'm afraid my wife will find out; Telling the truth, I'm afraid she's going to be really mad.
  • ,要 借 钱 ;不 买 ,女朋友 肯定 很 失望 。Mǎi ba, yào jièqián; bù mǎi ba, nǚpéngyou kěndìng hěn shīwàng.Buying it, I need to borrow money; Not buying it, my girlfriend is definitely going to be disappointed.

See Also

Source and Further Reading

Books

Websites

HSK4