Modal particles in Chinese

In linguistics, modal particles are always uninflected words, and are a type of grammatical particle. Mandarin Chinese depends highly on the use of modal particles. Changing the pitch of the sentence or phrase would make the meaning of the sentence different.

在语言学里，虽然语气词变化不多，在语法上也是一种小品词。汉语中常使用小品词。变化所强调的句子或短语都会改变句子的含义。

1. 啊(ā) is placed at the end of a sentence to express admiration or affirmation, for example:

“啊”放在句尾，表示赞赏或主张，比如：

duō hǎo de dì fɑnɡ ā

多 好 的 地 方 啊！

What a place!

nǐ kě yào xiǎo xīn ā

你 可 要 小 心 啊！

Do be careful!

Or to indicate a question, for example:

或提出疑问，如：

nǐ men nǎ tiān qù lǚ xínɡ ā

你 们 哪 天 去 旅 行 啊？

When are you going to start on your journey?

啊 can also be placed in the sentence to pause for a second and draw attention to the following sentences, for example:

“啊”可用于结束一个句子，以引起对方对第二句内容的注意。

nǐ ā lǎo zhè yànɡ xià qu kě bù xínɡ

你 啊 ，老 这 样 下 去可 不 行！

Look! You can't go on like this.

Or placed after a repetitive verb to indicate that it is a very long process:

或放在重复性动词后，表示一个很长的动作过程。

tā men zǒu ā zǒu ā yì zhí zǒu dào hé biān

他 们 走 啊，走 啊，一 直走 到 河 边。

They went on and on till they came to a river.

2. 呀(yɑ): ah; oh

yɑ xià xuě le

呀，下 雪 了！

Oh, it's snowing!

shuí yɑ

谁 呀？

Who is it?

zhēn shānɡ xīn yɑ

真 伤 心 呀！

Woe is me!

3. 哦(ò): Oh; ah; I see

ò wǒ dǒnɡ le

哦，我 懂 了。

Oh! I see. Oh! Now I understand.

ó zhēn de

哦？真 的？

Oh, you do?

4. 吗(ma): placed at the end of a sentence to indicate a question

“吗”放在句尾表示提问

shì mɑ

是 吗？

That so?

ké yǐ mɑ

可 以 吗？

Would you?

tánɡ cù yú hǎo chī mɑ

糖 醋 鱼 好 吃 吗？

How do you like the sweet and sour fish?

5. 嘛(mɑ): to indicate it is obvious

“嘛”表示事实明摆着

zhè yě bù nénɡ ɡuài tā tóu yì huí mɑ

这 也 不 能 怪 他，头 一回 嘛。

He's not to blame. After all, it was the first time he'd done it.

Or, placed at the end of a sentence to draw attention to the following sentences:

或放在句尾，引起对方对第二句内容的注意。

nǐ mɑ jiù bú yònɡ qīn zì qù le

你 嘛，就 不 用 亲 自 去了。

As for you, I don't think you have to go in person.

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