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

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
 
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.
 
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 ===
+
== Structure ==
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Examples ===
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== Examples ==
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 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 so good.</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">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 (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.</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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* 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>
* 这么 晚 了 , 我们 不 去 了 <em>吧</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhème wǎn le, wǒmen bù qù le <em>ba</em>.</span> <span class="trans">It's too late now, we are not going.</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>
* 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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* 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">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">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>
* 你们 家 了 <em>吧</em> <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen jiā tài zāng le <em>ba</em>.</span> <span class="trans">Your house is a little too dirty.</span>
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* 那 个 地方 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>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
Note that to make suggestions for a group of people including oneself, 咱们 (zánmen) is often used with 吧 (ba).
 
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)]] [http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ →buy]
+
{{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|101}}
* [[Short-term Spoken Chinese: Pre-Intermediate (汉语口语速成提高篇)]] (pp. 52-3)
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{{Source|Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)|284}}
* [[Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)]] (p. 98) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00326U9MS/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B00326U9MS →buy]
+
{{Source|Short-term Spoken Chinese: Pre-Intermediate (汉语口语速成提高篇)|52-3}}
* [[Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇)]] (p. 55) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7301075294/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7301075294 →buy]
+
{{Source|Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)|98}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)]] (p. 246) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913192/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913192 →buy]
+
{{Source|Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇)|55}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (pp. 191- 2) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887276881 →buy]
+
{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)|246}}
 
+
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2|191- 2}}
 
 
 
 
  
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|吧|A2|⋯吧。|这样 不 太 好 <em>吧</em>。|grammar point|ASGDHC1H}}
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{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
 +
{{Basic Grammar|吧|A2|⋯⋯吧|这样 不 太 好 <em>吧</em>。|grammar point|ASGDHC1H}}
 
{{Similar|Suggestions with ba}}
 
{{Similar|Suggestions with ba}}
 
{{Similar|Conceding with "ba"}}
 
{{Similar|Conceding with "ba"}}

Latest revision as of 09:22, 20 April 2021

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