Chinese Final Particles 2 - OneDotDot Chinese

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Final Particles in Mandarin Chinese is a nightmare for most Chinese learners. In this article, we will be learning about five final particles: 啊 a, 呀 ya, 哇 wa, 哪 na, and 啦 la. However, in reality, they are just variations of the same particle.”

Just in case, I provide an audio file 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.

啊 a

To express exclamation

It shows the tone of exclamation, excitement, surprisement or enthusiasm, etc.

你nǐ是shì日本人rìběnrén啊a！你nǐ是shì日本人rìběnrén啊a！
You are Japanese! (I am surprised that you are Japanese.)

你nǐ也yě喜歡xǐhuān貓māo啊a！你nǐ也yě喜欢xǐhuan猫māo啊a！
You also like cats! (I am so excited that you also like cats!)

To express certainty, obviousness or urgency

我wǒ很hěn忙máng，所以suǒyǐ不能bùnéng去qù啊a我wǒ很hěn忙máng，所以suǒyǐ不能bùnéng去qù啊a
I was busy, so I couldn’t go. (obviousness)

是shì啊a，是shì我wǒ說shuō的de啊a！是shì啊a，是shì我wǒ说shuō的de啊a！
Yes! That’s what I said! (both certainty)

快kuài說shuō啊a！快kuài说shuō啊a！
Tell me! (urgency)

To use in a question indicated a sense of urgency, impatience, annoyance, or concern for the listener.

你nǐ去qù不bú去qù啊a？你nǐ去qù不bú去qù啊a？
You are going or not? (annoyance)

你nǐ想xiǎng說shuō什麼shénme啊a？你nǐ想xiǎng说shuō什么shénme啊a？
What do you want to say? (impatient)

啦 la

啦 la is the combination of new situation 了 le and 啊 a

你nǐ不bú愛ài他tā啦la！你nǐ不bú爱ài他tā啦la！
You don’t love him anymore!?

你nǐ要yào走zǒu啦la？你nǐ要yào走zǒu啦la？
Are you going now?

呀 ya, 哇 wa, and 哪 na

Now, let’s talk about the last three final particles: 呀 ya, 哇 wa, and 哪 na. They are actually sharing the meaning as 啊 a, and serve as linking sounds between 啊 an and the preceding character.

When the word before 啊 a is	+ 啊 a	= Linking sounds	Examples
-i, -ü, -a, -e, -o *	+ 啊 a	= 呀 ya	duì + a = duì ya
-u, -ao	+ 啊 a	= 哇 wa	hǎo + a = hǎo wa
-n	+ 啊 a	= 哪 na	tiān + a = tiān na
The others	+ 啊 a	= 啊 a	zǒu + a = zǒu a

Note 1: The words ‘zhi’, ‘chi’, ‘shi’, ‘ri’, ‘zi’, ‘ci’, ‘si’, ‘ji’, ‘qi’ and ‘xi’ do not actually have a distinct ‘i’ sound, so it does not affect the pronunciation of the 啊 a sound. For example, in the phrases ‘shì a’ and ‘jī a’, we simply maintain the sound of 啊 a.

Note 2: When writing the linking sounds, you can choose to use either the original character 啊 a, or the sound-changing characters 呀 ya, 哇 wa, and 哪 na. However, regardless of which character you choose, you must always pronounce the linking sound.

呀 ya

The particle is usually only used after words ending -a, -o, -e, -i, -ü.

對duì呀ya！对duì呀ya！
Right!

來lái呀ya！来lái呀ya！
Come!

哇 wa

The particle is usually only used after words ending -ao, –u

好hǎo哇wa！好hǎo哇wa！
OK!

早zǎo啊wa！早zǎo啊wa！
Morning!

哪 na

The particle is usually only used after words ending -n

This one we rarely use the sound-changing character 哪 na.

你nǐ好hǎo煩fán啊na！你nǐ好hǎo烦fán啊na！
You are so annoying!

我wǒ的de天tiān啊na！我wǒ的de天tiān啊na！
Oh my gosh!

See some examples

Practice

啊 a 呀 ya 哇 wa 哪 na 啦 la Practice

For Advance Learners

啊 a

To list items

我的wǒde冰箱bīngxiāng有yǒu蘋果pínguǒ啊a、蛋dàn啊na、牛肉niúròu啊a、很hěn多duō東西dōngxī！我的wǒde冰箱bīngxiāng有yǒu苹果píngguǒ啊a，蛋dàn啊na，牛肉niúròu啊a，很hěn多duō东西dōngxi！
There’re so many things in my fridge, such as apples, eggs, beef, etc.

啦 la– These usages only in Taiwan

To request sb. to do sth. (in a soft tone, as if begging, not commanding)

好hǎo啦la～一起yìqǐ去qù啦la～好hǎo啦la～一起yìqǐ去qù啦la～
Go with me, please~~

明天míngtiān再zài打掃dǎsǎo啦la～我wǒ今天jīntiān好hǎo累lèi！明天míngtiān再zài打扫dǎsǎo啦la～我wǒ今天jīntiān好hǎo累lèi！
Can we do the cleaning tomorrow, I am so tired today, please~