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

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* 这 不 太 好 <em>吧</em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Zhè bù tài hǎo <em>ba</em>. </span><span class="trans">This isn't so good. </span>
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* 这 不 太 好 <em>吧</em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Zhè bù tài hǎo <em>ba</em>.</span><span class="trans">This isn't so good.</span>
* 算了 <em>吧</em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Suàn le <em>ba</em>. </span><span class="trans">Let's forget it. </span>
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* 算了 <em>吧</em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Suàn le <em>ba</em>.</span><span class="trans">Let's forget it.</span>
* 应该 是 <em>吧</em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Yīnggāi shì <em>ba</em>. </span><span class="trans">It should be.</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.</span>
* 钱 太 少 了 <em>吧</em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Qián tài shǎo le <em>ba</em>. </span><span class="trans">It's too little money. </span>
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* 钱 太 少 了 <em>吧</em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Qián tài shǎo le <em>ba</em>.</span><span class="trans">It's too little money.</span>
* 再 等 一 等 <em>吧</em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Zài děng yī děng <em>ba</em>. </span><span class="trans">Wait a little longer. </span>
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* 再 等 一 等 <em>吧</em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Zài děng yī 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,  bùyào 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,  bùyào 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">Please 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">Please 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">It's 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">It's 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"> Nàge 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"> Nàge 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 04:04, 24 May 2017

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 so good.
  • 算了 Suàn le ba.Let's forget it.
  • 应该 是 Yīnggāi shì ba.It should be.
  • 钱 太 少 了 Qián tài shǎo le ba.It's too little money.
  • 再 等 一 等 Zài děng yī děng ba.Wait a little longer.
  • 太 晚 了 ,不要 走 了 Tài wǎn le, bùyào 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.Please hurry, we're going to be late.
  • 太 贵 了 , 我 不 买 了。 Tài guì le ba, wǒ bù mǎi le.It's too expensive. I'm not buying it.
  • 那 个 地方 太 远 了 ,我 不 想 去。 Nàge dìfang tài yuǎn le ba,wǒ bù xiǎng qù.That place is too far away. I don't want to go.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books