Softening speech with "ba"

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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