The interjection 啊 (a) is often added to the end of sentences to add a
tone of urgency, exclamation or excitement. However, the exact meaning
often depends on context.

啊 (a) Expressing Exclamation
-----------------------------

When used like this, 啊 (a) is placed at the end of a statement and has
a tone of exclamation, excitement or enthusiasm. (In a lot of cases, the
only English "translation" you can offer is an exclamation point.)

### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   对 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="expl">Banging fist on
    table...</span><span class="pinyin">Duì <em>a</em>!
    </span><span class="trans">You're right!</span>
-   这里 好 漂亮 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ hǎo piàoliang
    <em>a</em>!</span><span class="trans">This place is so pretty!
    </span>
-   你 家 真 大 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiā zhēn dà
    <em>a</em>! </span><span class="trans">Your house is so big.</span>
-   学 中文 真 难 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Xué Zhōngwén zhēn
    nán <em>a</em>! </span><span class="trans">Learning Chinese is so
    hard!</span>
-   好 香 <em>啊</em> ！什么东西 ？ <span class="pinyin">Hǎo xiāng
    <em>a</em>! Shénme dōngxi? </span><span class="trans">It smells
    great! What is it? </span>

</div>
啊 (a) Expressing Certainty or Urgency
--------------------------------------

啊 (a) can also add a sense of certainty or urgency to a statement,
sometimes with the feeling of an order.

### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   是 <em>啊</em> ，我 也 觉得 ！<span class="pinyin">Shì <em>a</em>,
    wǒ yě juéde! </span><span class="trans">Definitely, I think so too!
    </span>
-   行 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Xíng
    <em>a</em>!</span><span class="trans">All right! </span>
-   可以 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Kěyǐ <em>a</em>!
    </span><span class="trans">It's fine!</span>
-   小心 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Xiǎoxīn <em>a</em>!
    </span><span class="trans">Be careful!</span>
-   吃 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Chī <em>a</em>!
    </span><span class="trans">Eat some! </span>

</div>
啊 (a) Used in Questions
------------------------

Finally, it can be used with questions, again with a sense of urgency or
concern for the listener.

### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   你 走 不 走 <em>啊</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ zǒu bu zǒu
    <em>a</em>? </span><span class="trans">Are you going or what?
    </span>
-   你 吃 不 吃 <em>啊</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ chī bu chī
    <em>a</em>? </span><span class="trans">Are you eating or not?
    </span>
-   谁 说 的 <em>啊</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Shéi shuō de <em>a</em>?
    </span><span class="trans">Who said so? </span>
-   你 傻 <em>啊</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shǎ <em>a</em>?
    </span><span class="trans">What are you, stupid? </span>
-   看 什么 <em>啊</em> ？没 见 过 漂亮 姑娘 <em>啊</em> ？
    <span class="pinyin">Kàn shénme <em>a</em>? Méi jiàn guo piàoliang
    gūniang <em>a</em>?</span><span class="trans">What are you looking
    at? Have you never seen a pretty girl before? </span>

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

-   [Questions with ne](Questions_with_ne "wikilink")
-   [Suggestions with ba](Suggestions_with_ba "wikilink")
-   [Listing Things with "a"](Listing_Things_with_"a" "wikilink")

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

### Books

-   [A Practical Chinese Grammar For
    Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)](A_Practical_Chinese_Grammar_For_Foreigners_(外国人实用汉语语法) "wikilink") (pp.142-3)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part
    2](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_2 "wikilink") (pp. 51-4)
    [→buy](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)

[Category: A2 grammar points](Category:_A2_grammar_points "wikilink")
[Category: Particles](Category:_Particles "wikilink")