Reviewing options with "ba"
Revision as of 03:01, 20 December 2017 by ChenShishuang (talk | contribs)
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 。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 。 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 。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 。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 。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 。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 。Going back, the air ticket is too expensive; Not going back, my family definitely miss me.
- 见面 吧 ，常常 吵架 ；不 见面 吧 ，还是 会 想 他 。Seeing each other, we fight a lot; Not seeing each other, I miss him anyway.
- 不 说 真话 吧 ，老婆 不 高兴 ；说 真 话 吧 ，老婆 也 不 高兴 。Not speaking the truth, the wife will be upset; Telling the truth, the wife will also be upset.
- 这个 老房子 卖 吧 ，怕 父母 不 同意 ；不 卖 吧 ，就 没 钱 买 新 车 。Selling this old house, I'm afraid my parents disagree; Not selling it, I don't have money to buy a new car.
