Chinese Final Particles 3

Final Particles in Mandarin Chinese are a nightmare for most Chinese learners. In this article, we are going to learn喔 o, 嘍喽 lou, 耶 ye and 嘛 ma.

Just in case, I provide audio files to help you know how we change intonations without changing any tones. Please make sure you’ve read the entire article before you listen to the file.

喔 o which can also be written as 哦 o

To express a wish, warning, or reminder 🔊

路lù上shàng小心xiǎoxīn哦o！ 路lù上shàng小心xiǎoxīn哦o！
Stay safe! (warning)

加油jiāyóu喔o！ 加油jiāyóu喔o！
Good luck! (wish)

我wǒ明天míngtiān很hěn忙máng哦o！ 我wǒ明天míngtiān很hěn忙máng哦o！
I will be busy tomorrow! (reminder)

Same as 啊 a to express the tone of excitement, surprise or enthusiasm, etc. 
(Usually positive) 🔊

好hǎo哦o！ 好hǎo哦o！
OK! (excitement)

好hǎo可愛kěài哦o！ 好hǎo可爱kěài哦o！
So cute! (enthusiasm)

嘍/喽 lou which can also be written as 囉/啰 luo

嘍喽 lou is the combination of new situation 了(le) and 哦 o 🔊

吃飯chīfàn嘍lou！ 吃饭chīfàn喽lou！
Dinner time!!

先xiān睡shuì囉luo！ 先xiān睡shuì啰luo！
I am going to bed now!

耶 ye which can also be written as 欸 ei

耶 ye is more girly, 欸 ei is more neutral.

To express sth. unexpected 🔊

下雨xiàyǔ了le耶ye！ 下雨xiàyǔ了le耶ye！
Uh! It’s raining now!

我wǒ好像hǎoxiàng胖pàng了le欸ei！ 我wǒ好像hǎoxiàng胖pàng了le欸ei！
Ah! I think I gained weight!

Same as 啊 a to express the tone of annoyance, complaining or silliness, etc. 
(Usually negative) 🔊

你nǐ很hěn煩fán耶ye！ 你nǐ很hěn烦fán耶ye！
You are so annoying!

那個nàge超chāo貴guì欸ei！ 那个nàge超chāo贵guì欸ei！
That one is very expensive!!

To express certainty (but softer than 啊 a) 🔊

我wǒ不bù知道zhīdào耶ye… 我wǒ不bù知道zhīdào耶ye…
I don’t know…

他家tājiā超chāo有錢yǒuqián欸ei！！ 他家tājiā超chāo有钱yǒuqián欸ei！！
His family is super rich!!

嘛 ma

To express sth. is obvious. 🔊

英文yìngwén很hěn難nán嘛ma~ 英文yìngwén很hěn难nán嘛ma~
English is hard~ (People know that)
　
我wǒ沒méi錢qián嘛ma~ 我wǒ没méi钱qián嘛ma~
I don’t have money~ (You know it)

To implore somebody to do something 🔊

給gěi我wǒ一點yìdiǎn錢qián嘛ma给gěi我wǒ一点yìdiǎn钱qián嘛ma
Give me some money, please~~~~

不要búyào走zǒu嘛ma不要búyào走zǒu嘛ma
Don’t leave (stay here), please~~

See some examples

Practice

• 喔 o, 嘍喽 lou, 耶 ye and 嘛 ma practice

For Advance learners

Do you know the difference? 🔊

好hǎo啊a! 好hǎo啊a! (excited or certainty)
好hǎo喔o! 好hǎo喔o! (excited)
好hǎo嘛ma! 好hǎo嘛ma! (begging sb to do sth)
好hǎo啦la! 好hǎo啦la! (to request sb. to do sth. in a soft way, not command)
好hǎo哇wa! 好hǎo哇wa! (same as 好hǎo啊a! 好hǎo啊a! )
好hǎo耶ye! 好hǎo耶ye! (certainty, but softer than 啊)
好hǎo吧ba! 好hǎo吧ba! (compromise)
好hǎo嘍lou! 好hǎo喽lou! (excited; It used to be not ok, but now it’s ok)

So….好hǎo嗎ma? 好hǎo吗ma? (Question that you really don’t know the answer)

• Final particles 1: 嗎吗 ma, 吧 ba, and 呢 ne (HSK 1)

• Final particles 2: 啊 a, 呀 ya, 哇 wa, 哪 na, and 啦 la (HSK 2)