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>
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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">If we go in the winter, it's too cold. If we go in the summer, it's 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>ba</em>, yào děng; wǎn diǎn qù <em>ba</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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*早 点 去 <em>吧</em> ,要 等 ;晚 点 去 <em>吧</em> ,会 堵车 。<span class="pinyin">Zǎo diǎn qù <em>ba</em>, yào děng; wǎn diǎn qù <em>ba</em>, huì dǔchē.</span> <span class="trans">If we go early, we'll have to wait. If we go later, there will be bad traffic.</span>
*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>
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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">If I wear a little more, it will be hot. If I wear 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>
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*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"> I need to give a red envelope if I go early. If I don't go, 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>
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*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">If I don't tell him, he will still do it wrong next time. If I do tell him, he will get 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>
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*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">If I go back, the plane ticket is too expensive. If I don't go back, my family will 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>
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*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 with me, you will definitely be bored.</span>
*见面 <em>吧</em> ,常常 吵架 ;不 见面 <em>吧</em> ,还是 会 想 他 。<span class="pinyin">Jiànmiàn <em>ba</em>, chángcháng chǎojià; bù jiànmiàn <em>ba</em>, háishì huì xiǎng tā.</span><span class="trans">Seeing each other, we fight a lot; Not seeing each other, I miss him anyway.</span>
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*见面 <em>吧</em> ,常常 吵架 ;不 见面 <em>吧</em> ,还是 会 想 他 。<span class="pinyin">Jiànmiàn <em>ba</em>, chángcháng chǎojià; bù jiànmiàn <em>ba</em>, háishì huì xiǎng tā.</span><span class="trans">If we see each other, we fight a lot. If we don't see each other, I miss him anyway.</span>
*不 说 真话 <em>吧</em> ,老婆 不 高兴 ;说 真 话 <em>吧</em> ,老婆 也 不 高兴 。<span class="pinyin">Bù shuō zhēn huà <em>ba</em>, lǎopo bù gāoxìng; shuō zhēn huà <em>ba</em>, lǎopo yě bù gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">Not speaking the truth, the wife will be upset; Telling the truth, the wife will also be upset.</span>
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*不 说 真 话 <em>吧</em> ,老婆 不 高兴 ;说 真 话 <em>吧</em> ,老婆 也 不 高兴 。<span class="pinyin">Bù shuō zhēn huà <em>ba</em>, lǎopo bù gāoxìng; shuō zhēn huà <em>ba</em>, lǎopo yě bù gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">If I don't speak the truth, my wife will be upset. If I tell her the truth, my wife will also be upset.</span>
*这个 老房子 卖 <em>吧</em> ,怕 父母 不 同意 ;不 卖 <em>吧</em> ,就 没 钱 买 新 车 。<span class="trans">Selling this old house, I'm afraid my parents disagree; Not selling it, I don't have money to buy a new car.</span>
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*这个 老 房子 ,卖 <em>吧</em> ,怕 父母 不 同意 ;不 卖 <em>吧</em> ,就 没 钱 买 新 车 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège lǎo fángzi, mài <em>ba</em>, pà fùmǔ bù tóngyì; bù mài <em>ba</em>, jiù méi qián mǎi xīn chē.</span><span class="trans">If I sell this old house, I'm afraid my parents will disagree. If I don't sell it, I don't have money to buy a new car.</span>
  
 
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== See also ==
 
 
== Source and further reading ==
 
 
=== Books ===
 
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]

Latest revision as of 17:21, 6 December 2018

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.If we go in the winter, it's too cold. If we go in the summer, it's too hot.
  • 早 点 去 ,要 等 ;晚 点 去 ,会 堵车 。Zǎo diǎn qù ba, yào děng; wǎn diǎn qù ba, huì dǔchē. If we go early, we'll have to wait. If we go later, there will be bad 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.If I wear a little more, it will be hot. If I wear a little less, it will be cold.
  • ,要 给 红包 ;不 去 ,他 没 面子 。ba, yào gěi hóngbāo; bù qù ba, tā méi miànzi. I need to give a red envelope if I go early. If I don't go, 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.If I don't tell him, he will still do it wrong next time. If I do tell him, he will get 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.If I go back, the plane ticket is too expensive. If I don't go back, my family will definitely miss me.
  • 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 with me, you will definitely be bored.
  • 见面 ,常常 吵架 ;不 见面 ,还是 会 想 他 。Jiànmiàn ba, chángcháng chǎojià; bù jiànmiàn ba, háishì huì xiǎng tā.If we see each other, we fight a lot. If we don't see each other, I miss him anyway.
  • 不 说 真 话 ,老婆 不 高兴 ;说 真 话 ,老婆 也 不 高兴 。Bù shuō zhēn huà ba, lǎopo bù gāoxìng; shuō zhēn huà ba, lǎopo yě bù gāoxìng.If I don't speak the truth, my wife will be upset. If I tell her the truth, my wife will also be upset.
  • 这个 老 房子 ,卖 ,怕 父母 不 同意 ;不 卖 ,就 没 钱 买 新 车 。Zhège lǎo fángzi, mài ba, pà fùmǔ bù tóngyì; bù mài ba, jiù méi qián mǎi xīn chē.If I sell this old house, I'm afraid my parents will disagree. If I don't sell it, I don't have money to buy a new car.
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