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

• 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.
• 早点 去 吧 ，要 等 ；晚点 去 吧 ，会 堵车 。Zǎo diǎn qù bā, ào děng ; wǎn diǎn qù bā, 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 吧 ，会 热 ；穿 得 少 一点 吧 ，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 吧 ，你 总是 不 听话 ；不 带 你 去 吧 ，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.
• 去 吧 ，要 给 红包 ；不 去 吧 ，他 没 面子 。Qù 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 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.Not telling him, he will still do it wrong next time; Telling him, he must be upset.
• 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.
• 在 一起 吧 ，总是 吵架 ；分手 吧 ，怕 将来 后悔 。Zài yīqǐ 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.
• 不 说 真话 吧 ，老婆 不 高兴 ；说 真 话 吧 ，老婆 也 不 高兴 。Bù shuō zhēn huà ba, lǎopo bù gāoxìng; shuō zhēn huà ba, lǎopo yě bù gāoxìng.Not speaking the truth, the wife will be upset; Telling the truth, the wife will also be upset.
• 买 吧 ，要 借 钱 ；不 买 吧 ，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.

Source and further reading

Books

HSK4