Sentence-final interjection "a"

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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).

  • 你好 ! Nǐhǎo a!Hey, how's it going!
  • (Banging fist on table...)Duì a! You're right!
  • 你 的 男朋友 真 帅 (Upon seeing a picture of said boyfriend.)Nǐ de nánpéngyou zhēn shuài a! Your boyfriend's so handsome!
  • , 好 ! 我去 !Hǎo a, hǎo a! Wǒqù! OK, OK! I'll go!
  • 这里 好 漂亮 Zhèlǐ hǎo piàoliang a! This place is so pretty!
  • 这个 菜 真 好吃 Zhè ge cài zhēn hǎochī a! This dish is really delicious!
  • 哇 , 好 香 ! 什么东西 ? Wā, hǎo xiāng a! Shénme dōngxī? Woah, it smells great! What is it?
  • 没 问题 ! 我 帮 你 。 Méi wèntí a! Wǒ bāng nǐ. No problem! I'll help you!
  • 好 吵 ! 我们 走 吧 。 Hǎo chǎo a! Wǒmen zǒu ba. So noisy! Let's leave.
  • 学 中文 真 难 Xué Zhōngwén zhēn nán a! Learning Chinese is so hard!

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!
  • 快点 Kuàidiǎn a! Quickly!
  • 这 个 人 真 没 礼貌 Zhè ge rén zhēn méi lǐmào a! This person really has no manners!
  • 不要 忘 了 开会 Bùyào wàng le kāihuì a! Don't forget to have the meeting!
  • 我们 都 去 Wǒmen dōu qù a! We're all going!
  • 不 知道 Bù zhīdao a! I don't know!
  • 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?
  • 你 去 哪儿 Nǐ qù nǎr a? Where are you going?
  • 你 怎么样 Nǐ zěnmeyàng a? So how have you been?
  • 你 是 谁 Nǐ shì shéi a? Who are you?
  • 谁 说 的 Shéi shuō de a? Who said so?
  • 你 怎么 来 这里 Nǐ zěnme lái zhèlǐ a? What are you doing here?
  • 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?
  • 他们 结婚 了 ? 真 的 Tāmen jiéhūn le? Zhēn de a? They got married? Seriously?
  • 你 真 不 知道 Nǐ zhēn bù zhīdao a? You really don't know?

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