ChineseGrammarWiki/MD/A2/42.mw.html

<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 &quot;all right&quot; or &quot;fine then&quot; in English.</p>
<h2 id="structure">Structure</h2>
<p>Similar to <a href="吧" 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_&quot;ba&quot;" title="wikilink">Softening speech with &quot;ba&quot;</a></li>
<li><a href="Suggestions_with_&quot;ba&quot;" title="wikilink">Suggestions with &quot;ba&quot;</a></li>
<li><a href="Expressing_contrariness_with_&quot;dao&quot;" title="wikilink">Expressing contrariness with &quot;dao&quot;</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_(汉语语法百项讲练_-_初中级)" 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&amp;tag=allset-23&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=536&amp;creative=3132&amp;creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="Short-term_Spoken_Chinese:_Pre-Intermediate_(汉语口语速成提高篇)" 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_(汉语口语速成基础篇)" 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&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=B00326U9MS">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="Boya_Chinese_Elementary_Starter_1_(博雅汉语初经起步篇)" 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&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=7301075294">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_4_(新实用汉语课本4)" 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&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=7561913192">→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<p>     </p>
<p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p>