<!DOCTYPE html> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta name="generator" content= "HTML Tidy for HTML5 for Linux version 5.2.0" /> <title></title> </head> <body> <p>The particle 吧 (ba) can also be used to <em>concede</em> a point. That is, 吧 (ba) can be used to accept or agree with something that you're not particularly happy about, the way we might use "all right" or "fine then" in English.</p> <h2 id="structure">Structure</h2> <p>Similar to <a href="%E5%90%A7" title="wikilink">other uses of 吧</a> (ba), this usage is also simply placed on the end of a sentence or statement.</p> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Statement + 吧</p> </div> <h2 id="examples">Examples</h2> <p>To understand what someone is conceding to, it's best to present this usage as a number of super short dialogs which provide a little context.</p> <p>In this first one, B has to accept that his luxury goods shopping dreams have been shattered.</p> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><span class="speaker">A:</span>太 贵 了！<span class="pinyin">Tài guì le!</span> <span class="trans">That's too expensive!</span></li> <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>好 <em>吧</em>，我们 可以 看看 别的。 <span class="pinyin">Hǎo <em>ba</em>, wǒmen kěyǐ kànkan biéde.</span><span class="trans">All right, we can take a look at something else.</span></li> </ul> </div> <p>Now B must accept inconvenient schedule changes.</p> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><span class="speaker">A:</span>下午 我 不 在 家，你 可以 晚上 来 吗？<span class="pinyin">Xiàwǔ wǒ bù zài jiā, nǐ kěyǐ wǎnshang lái ma?</span> <span class="trans">This afternoon I won't be home. Can you come by this evening?</span></li> <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>行 <em>吧</em>。<span class= "pinyin">Xíng <em>ba</em>.</span><span class="trans">All right.</span></li> </ul> </div> <p>B is now conceding that going out in this crazy rain doesn't make sense.</p> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><span class="speaker">A:</span>雨 太 大 了，明天 再 去 买 吧。 <span class= "pinyin">Yǔ tài dà le, míngtiān zài qù mǎi ba.</span><span class= "trans">It's raining heavily. Let's go buy it tomorrow.</span></li> <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>好 <em>吧</em>，但是 明天 一定 要 买到 。<span class="pinyin">Hǎo <em>ba</em>, dànshì míngtiān yídìng yào mǎidào.</span><span class="trans">Fine, but tomorrow we definitely have to buy it.</span></li> </ul> </div> <p>Now B is agreeing to let more guys into his secret club.</p> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><span class="speaker">A:</span>可以 带 朋友 吗？ <span class= "pinyin">Kěyǐ dài péngyou ma ?</span> <span class="trans">Can I bring friends?</span></li> <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>行 <em>吧</em>， 但是 不 能 带 女孩。 <span class="pinyin">Xíng <em>ba</em>, dànshì bù néng dài nǚhái.</span><span class="trans">All right, but you can't bring girls.</span></li> </ul> </div> <p>Now B is having a friend cancel plans on him. Not a good day for B!</p> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><span class="speaker">A:</span>我 今天 不 太 舒服，你 可以 自己 去 吗？ <span class="pinyin">Wǒ jīntiān bù tài shūfu, nǐ kěyǐ zìjǐ qù ma?</span><span class="trans">I'm not feeling well today. Can you go by yourself?</span></li> <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>好 <em>吧</em>， 那 你 好好 休息。 <span class="pinyin">Hǎo <em>ba</em>, nà nǐ hǎohǎo xiūxi.</span><span class="trans">All right, rest well then.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li><a href="Softening_speech_with_"ba"" title= "wikilink">Softening speech with "ba"</a></li> <li><a href="Suggestions_with_"ba"" title= "wikilink">Suggestions with "ba"</a></li> <li><a href="Expressing_contrariness_with_"dao"" title= "wikilink">Expressing contrariness with "dao"</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2> <h3 id="books">Books</h3> <ul> <li><a href= "Chinese_Grammar_-_Broken_down_into_100_items_-_Basic_and_Intermediate_Levels_(%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95%E7%99%BE%E9%A1%B9%E8%AE%B2%E7%BB%83_-_%E5%88%9D%E4%B8%AD%E7%BA%A7)" title="wikilink">Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)</a> <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href= "Short-term_Spoken_Chinese:_Pre-Intermediate_(%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%8F%A3%E8%AF%AD%E9%80%9F%E6%88%90%E6%8F%90%E9%AB%98%E7%AF%87)" title="wikilink">Short-term Spoken Chinese: Pre-Intermediate (汉语口语速成提高篇)</a> (pp. 52-3)</li> <li><a href= "Short-term_Spoken_Chinese:_Elementary_(%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%8F%A3%E8%AF%AD%E9%80%9F%E6%88%90%E5%9F%BA%E7%A1%80%E7%AF%87)" title="wikilink">Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)</a> (p.98) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href= "Boya_Chinese_Elementary_Starter_1_(%E5%8D%9A%E9%9B%85%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%88%9D%E7%BB%8F%E8%B5%B7%E6%AD%A5%E7%AF%87)" title="wikilink">Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇)</a> (p. 55) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href= "New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_4_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC4)" title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)</a> (p. 246) <a href= "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</a></li> </ul> <p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title= "wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p> </body> </html>