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
- 对 啊 ！Banging fist on
table...Duì a!
You're right!
- 这里 好 漂亮 啊 ！Zhèlǐ hǎo piàoliang
a!This place is so
pretty!
- 你 家 真 大 啊 ！Nǐ jiā zhēn dà
a! Your house is so
big.
- 学 中文 真 难 啊 ！Xué Zhōngwén zhēn nán
a! Learning Chinese is so
hard!
- 好 香 啊 ！什么东西 ？ Hǎo xiāng
a! Shénme dōngxi? It smells
great! What is it?
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
- 是 啊 ，我 也 觉得 ！Shì a, wǒ
yě juéde! Definitely, I think so
too!
- 行 啊 ！Xíng
a!All right!
- 可以 啊 ！Kěyǐ a!
It's fine!
- 小心 啊 ！Xiǎoxīn a!
Be careful!
- 吃 啊 ！Chī a!
Eat some!
啊 (a) Used in Questions
Finally, it can be used with questions, again with a sense of
urgency or concern for the listener.
Examples
- 你 走 不 走 啊 ？ Nǐ zǒu bu zǒu
a? Are you going or
what?
- 你 吃 不 吃 啊 ？Nǐ chī bu chī
a? Are you eating or
not?
- 谁 说 的 啊 ？Shéi shuō de
a? Who said so?
- 你 傻 啊 ？Nǐ shǎ a?
What are you, stupid?
- 看 什么 啊 ？没 见 过 漂亮 姑娘 啊 ？ Kàn shénme a? Méi jiàn guo piàoliang gūniang
a?What are you looking at? Have
you never seen a pretty girl before?
See also
Sources and further
reading
Books
Category:
A2 grammar points Category: Particles