Difference between revisions of "Sentence-final interjection "a""

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* 对 <em>啊</em> ! <span class="expl">(Banging fist on table...)</span><span class="pinyin">Duì <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">You're right!</span>
 
* 对 <em>啊</em> ! <span class="expl">(Banging fist on table...)</span><span class="pinyin">Duì <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">You're right!</span>
 
* 这里 好 漂亮 <em>啊</em> ! <span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ hǎo piàoliang <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">This place is so pretty!</span>
 
* 这里 好 漂亮 <em>啊</em> ! <span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ hǎo piàoliang <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">This place is so pretty!</span>
*  好 香 <em>啊</em> ! 什么东西 ? <span class="pinyin">Hǎo xiāng <em>a</em>!  Shénme dōngxī?</span> <span class="trans">It smells great! What is it?</span>
 
 
* 没 问题 <em>啊</em> ! 我 帮 你 。 <span class="pinyin">Méi wèntí <em>a</em>!  Wǒ bāng nǐ.</span> <span class="trans">No problem! I'll help you!</span>
 
* 没 问题 <em>啊</em> ! 我 帮 你 。 <span class="pinyin">Méi wèntí <em>a</em>!  Wǒ bāng nǐ.</span> <span class="trans">No problem! I'll help you!</span>
 
* 学 中文 真 难 <em>啊</em> ! <span class="pinyin">Xué Zhōngwén zhēn nán <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">Learning Chinese is so hard!</span>
 
* 学 中文 真 难 <em>啊</em> ! <span class="pinyin">Xué Zhōngwén zhēn nán <em>a</em>!</span> <span class="trans">Learning Chinese is so hard!</span>
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*  好 香 <em>啊</em> ! 什么东西 ? <span class="pinyin">Hǎo xiāng <em>a</em>!  Shénme dōngxī?</span> <span class="trans">It smells great! What is it?</span>
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Revision as of 09:42, 28 September 2015

The interjection 啊 (a) is often added to the end of sentences to add a tone of urgency, exclamation or excitement. However, the exact meaning often depends on context.

啊 expressing exclamation

When used like this, 啊 (a) is placed at the end of a statement and has a tone of exclamation, excitement or enthusiasm. (In a lot of cases, the only English "translation" you can offer is an exclamation point).

  • (Banging fist on table...)Duì a! You're right!
  • 这里 好 漂亮 Zhèlǐ hǎo piàoliang a! This place is so pretty!
  • 没 问题 ! 我 帮 你 。 Méi wèntí a! Wǒ bāng nǐ. No problem! I'll help you!
  • 学 中文 真 难 Xué Zhōngwén zhēn nán a! Learning Chinese is so hard!
  • 好 香 ! 什么东西 ? Hǎo xiāng a! Shénme dōngxī? It smells great! What is it?

啊 expressing certainty or urgency

啊 (a) can also add a sense of certainty or urgency to a statement, sometimes with the feeling of an order.

  • , 我 也 觉得 ! Shì a, wǒ yě juéde! Definitely, I agree!
  • 小心 Xiǎoxīn a! Be careful!
  • 可以 Kěyǐ a! It's fine!
  • 你 吃 ! 不要 不好意思 。 Nǐ chī a! Bùyào bùhǎoyìsi. Eat it! Don't be embarrassed.
  • 天天 加班 , 累 Tiāntiān jiābān, lèi a! Working overtime every day is so tiring!

啊 used in questions

Finally, it can be used with questions, again with a sense of urgency or concern for the listener.

  • 你 走 不 走 Nǐ zǒu bù zǒu a? Are you going or what?
  • 谁 说 的 Shéi shuō de a? Who said so?
  • 你 傻 Nǐ shǎ a? What are you, stupid?
  • 看 什么 ? 没 见 过 漂亮 姑娘 Kàn shénme a? Méi jiàn guò piàoliang gūniang a? What are you looking at? Have you never seen a pretty girl before?
  • 你 疯 了 Nǐ fēng le a? You crazy?

This is very similar to one of the usages of (ne), but has an added sense of urgency.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books