HSK 1 grammar · new HSK syllabus
吧: suggestions and checking
吧 makes a suggestion (我们走吧) or checks what you think is true (你是老师吧？).
Structure
- Suggestion + 吧
- Statement + 吧？
How it works
At the end of a suggestion, 吧 means “let’s” or “why don’t you”: 我们走吧, 你休息吧.
At the end of a statement, 吧 checks something you think is true, like “…, right?”: 你是中国人吧？
It is softer than a direct order, so it sounds friendly.
Examples
-
我们走吧。
Wǒmen zǒu ba.
Let’s go.
-
你太累了，休息吧。
Nǐ tài lèi le, xiūxi ba.
You’re too tired. Have a rest.
-
我们去吃饺子吧！
Wǒmen qù chī jiǎozi ba!
Let’s go and have dumplings!
-
你是王老师吧？
Nǐ shì Wáng lǎoshī ba?
You’re Teacher Wang, right?
-
明天不会下雨吧？
Míngtiān bú huì xiàyǔ ba?
It won’t rain tomorrow, will it?
Words in these examples (17)
| 我们 | wǒmen | we; us | HSK 1 |
| 走 | zǒu | to walk; to leave | HSK 2 |
| 吧 | ba | (particle for suggestions: "let's…", "…, OK?") | HSK 1 |
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 太 | tài | too; extremely | HSK 1 |
| 累 | lèi | tired | HSK 2 |
| 了 | le | (particle marking a completed action or a change) | HSK 1 |
| 休息 | xiūxi | to rest; rest | HSK 1 |
| 去 | qù | to go | HSK 1 |
| 吃 | chī | to eat | HSK 1 |
| 饺子 | jiǎozi | dumpling | HSK 1 |
| 是 | shì | to be (am, is, are); yes | HSK 1 |
| 老师 | lǎoshī | teacher | HSK 1 |
| 明天 | míngtiān | tomorrow | HSK 1 |
| 不 | bù | not; no | HSK 1 |
| 会 | huì | can; to know how to | HSK 1 |
| 下雨 | xiàyǔ | to rain | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
-
✗我们吧走。
✓我们走吧。
吧 goes at the end of the sentence.
-
✗你是谁吧？
✓你是谁？
吧 checks a guess; it doesn’t go with question words.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 太晚了，我们回家 。
2. 你是学生 ？我想是。
3. 我们一起去看电影 ！