aa1啊
Jyutpingaa1
Yaleā
Definition
Sentence-final modal particle expressing various emotions or attitudes such as affirmation, surprise, or agreement.
colloquialparticle
How it's used
This particle serves as a versatile marker for agreement, realization, or softening the tone of a statement. It is often used to confirm information or express a sudden discovery of a fact. When used in questions, it can make the inquiry sound more casual and less like an interrogation.
Examples
Oh, so it was you!
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 呀, which is phonetically similar but serves a different function as a sentence-final particle for emphasis or to soften commands. While they can sometimes overlap in casual speech, 啊 is more strongly associated with affirmation or surprise.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
