Difference between revisions of "Softening speech with "ba""

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* 这样 不 太 好 <em>吧</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhèyàng bù tài hǎo <em>ba</em>.</span> <span class="trans">This style isn't that great.</span>
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* 不 太 好 <em>吧</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè bù tài hǎo <em>ba</em>. </span> <span class="trans">This isn't that great. </span>
* 算了 <em>吧</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Suàn le <em>ba</em>.</span> <span class="trans">Just forget it.</span>
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* 算了 <em>吧</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Suàn le <em>ba</em>. </span> <span class="trans">Just forget it. </span>
* 应该 是 <em>吧</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Yīnggāi shì <em>ba</em>.</span> <span class="trans">It should be. (referring to some context) </span>
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* 应该 是 <em>吧</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Yīnggāi shì <em>ba</em>. </span> <span class="trans">It should be. (referring to some context) </span>
* 太少了 <em>吧</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tài shǎo le <em>ba</em>.</span> <span class="trans">Too little.</span>
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* 太少了 <em>吧</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tài shǎo le <em>ba</em>. </span> <span class="trans">Too little. </span>
* 再 等 等 <em>吧</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Zài děng děng <em>ba</em>.</span> <span class="trans">Wait a little longer.</span>
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* 再 等 等 <em>吧</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zài děng děng <em>ba</em>. </span> <span class="trans">Wait a little longer. </span>
* 太 晚 了 ,不要 走 了 <em>吧</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tài wǎn le,  bù yào zǒu le <em>ba</em>.</span> <span class="trans">It's too late now, don't leave.</span>
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* 太 晚 了 ,不要 走 了 <em>吧</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tài wǎn le,  bù yào zǒu le <em>ba</em>. </span> <span class="trans">It's too late now, don't leave. </span>
* 你们 早 点 来 <em>吧</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen zǎo diǎn lái <em>ba</em>.</span> <span class="trans">Come a little earlier.</span>
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* 你们 早 点 来 <em>吧</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen zǎo diǎn lái <em>ba</em>. </span> <span class="trans">Come a little earlier. </span>
* 快 点 <em>吧</em> , 要 迟到 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Kuài diǎn <em>ba</em>, yào chídào le.</span> <span class="trans">Hurry, we're going to be late.</span>
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* 快 点 <em>吧</em> , 要 迟到 了。<span class="pinyin">Kuài diǎn <em>ba</em>, yào chídào le. </span> <span class="trans">Hurry, we're going to be late. </span>
* 太 贵 了 <em>吧</em> , 我 不 买 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Tài guì le <em>ba</em>, wǒ bù mǎi le.</span> <span class="trans">Too expensive! I'm not buying it.</span>
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* 太 贵 了 <em>吧</em> , 我 不 买 了。 <span class="pinyin">Tài guì le <em>ba</em>, wǒ bù mǎi le. </span> <span class="trans">Too expensive! I'm not buying it. </span>
*  那 个 地方 太 远 了 <em>吧</em>,我 不 想 去。 <span class="pinyin"> Nà ge dìfang tài yuǎn le <em>ba</em>,wǒ bù xiǎng qù.</span> <span class="trans">That place is too far away.I don't want to go.</span>
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*  那 个 地方 太 远 了 <em>吧</em>,我 不 想 去。 <span class="pinyin"> Nà ge dìfang tài yuǎn le <em>ba</em>,wǒ bù xiǎng qù. </span> <span class="trans">That place is too far away.I don't want to go. </span>
  
 
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Revision as of 01:48, 13 November 2015

The particle 吧 (ba) can be used to soften the feel of a sentence. This could be to make it more polite, gentler and less forceful, or to turn a command into a suggestion.

Structure

Statement + 吧

Examples

  • 这 不 太 好 Zhè bù tài hǎo ba. This isn't that great.
  • 算了 Suàn le ba. Just forget it.
  • 应该 是 Yīnggāi shì ba. It should be. (referring to some context)
  • 太少了 Tài shǎo le ba. Too little.
  • 再 等 等 Zài děng děng ba. Wait a little longer.
  • 太 晚 了 ,不要 走 了 Tài wǎn le, bù yào zǒu le ba. It's too late now, don't leave.
  • 你们 早 点 来 Nǐmen zǎo diǎn lái ba. Come a little earlier.
  • 快 点 , 要 迟到 了。Kuài diǎn ba, yào chídào le. Hurry, we're going to be late.
  • 太 贵 了 , 我 不 买 了。 Tài guì le ba, wǒ bù mǎi le. Too expensive! I'm not buying it.
  • 那 个 地方 太 远 了 ,我 不 想 去。 Nà ge dìfang tài yuǎn le ba,wǒ bù xiǎng qù. That place is too far away.I don't want to go.

Note that to make suggestions for a group of people including oneself, 咱们 (zánmen) is often used with 吧 (ba).

See also

Sources and further reading

Books