The particle 吧 (ba) has [a number of different uses](吧 "wikilink").
Here we'll talk about the simplest way to use 吧 (ba): making
suggestions.

Structure
---------

<div class="jiegou">
Command + 吧

</div>
Note that in Chinese, whenever you have a command with the subject "we,"
you're basically just saying, "**let's** (do something)." 吧 (ba) just
makes the suggestion sound more tentative and more polite.

Examples
--------

<div class="liju">
-   我们 走 <em>吧</em>。 <span class="expl">This is a
    suggestion.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zǒu
    <em>ba</em>.</span><span class="trans">Let's go.</span>
-   你 说 <em>吧</em>。<span class="expl">This is a
    suggestion.</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ shuō
    <em>ba</em>.</span><span class="trans">You say it.</span>
-   快 点 吃 <em>吧</em>。 <span class="expl">This is a
    suggestion.</span><span class="pinyin">Kuài diǎn chī
    <em>ba</em>.</span><span class="trans">Hurry up and eat.</span>
-   给 我 两 个 <em>吧</em>。 <span class="expl">This is a
    suggestion.</span><span class="pinyin">Gěi wǒ liǎng gè
    <em>ba</em>.</span><span class="trans">Give me two.</span>
-   喝 水 <em>吧</em>。<span class="expl">This is a
    suggestion.</span><span class="pinyin">Hē shuǐ
    <em>ba</em>.</span><span class="trans">Have some water.</span>
-   我们 去 香港 <em>吧</em>。<span class="expl">This is a great
    suggestion!</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen qù Xiānggǎng
    <em>ba</em>.</span><span class="trans">Let's go to Hong Kong.</span>
-   我们 六 点 去<em>吧</em>？<span class="expl">This is more of a
    confirmation than a suggestion.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen liù
    diǎn qù <em>ba</em>?</span><span class="trans">We're going at 6
    o'clock (right)?</span>
-   休息 一下 <em>吧</em>。<span class="expl">This is a
    suggestion.</span><span class="pinyin">Xiūxi yīxià
    <em>ba</em>.</span><span class="trans">Take a break.</span>
-   我们 结婚 <em>吧</em>。<span class="expl">This is a also suggestion,
    believe it or not!</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen jiéhūn
    <em>ba</em>.</span><span class="trans">Let's get married.</span>
-   老板 ，便宜 一点 <em>吧</em>。<span class="expl">This is more of a
    request, made to a shopkeeper.</span><span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn,
    piányi yīdiǎn <em>ba</em>.</span><span class="trans">Boss, can you
    make it cheaper?</span>

</div>
See also
--------

-   [Softening speech with "ba"](Softening_speech_with_"ba" "wikilink")
-   [Softening the tone of questions with
    "ne"](Softening_the_tone_of_questions_with_"ne" "wikilink")
    (advanced article)
-   [Conceding with "ba"](Conceding_with_"ba" "wikilink")

Sources and further reading
---------------------------

### Books

-   [Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second
    Edition](Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition "wikilink") (p.
    66)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1
    (3rd ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed) "wikilink") (p.
    129)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385)
-   [Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference
    Grammar](Mandarin_Chinese:_A_Functional_Reference_Grammar "wikilink") (pp.
    307-311)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520066103?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0520066103)

 [ ](is_similar_to::Conceding_with_"ba" "wikilink") [
](level::A1 "wikilink")

[Category:A1 grammar points](Category:A1_grammar_points "wikilink")
<Category:Particles>