Exclamatory sentences show strong feelings and often use particles or interjections to highlight emotion. This short guide covers common ways to make exclamations in everyday Mandarin.
Key Particles
Particles like le (了), āi (哎), wā (哇), and zhēn (真) help signal surprise, admiration, or emphasis when added to sentences. They tweak the tone so the listener feels the speaker’s reaction.
This food is delicious
Interjections
Interjections are quick sounds or short words like āiyā (哎呀) and hāhā (哈哈) that express instant emotion such as shock, delight, or amusement. They often appear at the start of an utterance to grab attention.
Using 真 (zhēn) and 太 (tài)
Modifiers like zhēn (真) and tài (太) intensify an adjective or verb to make an exclamation stronger. They are followed by descriptive words and sometimes end with le (了) for added effect.
Structures with 多 (duō)
The pattern duō (多) plus an adjective or modifier highlights how much of a quality something has, turning a sentence into a vivid exclamation about degree or amount. It often appears in rhetorical or praise contexts.
Examples
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌉 你看，桥下的灯光真漂亮！ | Nǐ kàn, qiáo xià de dēngguāng zhēn piàoliang! | Look, the lights under the bridge are really beautiful! | |
| 🍵 哇，这茶太香了！ | Wa, zhè chá tài xiāng le! | Wow, this tea is so fragrant! | |
| 🎡 多漂亮的灯啊！ | Duō piàoliang de dēng a! | What beautiful lights there are! | |
| 🌟 今晚的灯光真亮，像星星一样。 | Jīn wǎn de dēngguāng zhēn liàng, xiàng xīng xing yí yàng. | Tonight’s lights are really bright, like stars. | |
| 🎶 哇，桥上的音乐太动听了！ | Wa, qiáo shàng de yīn yuè tài dòng tīng le! | Wow, the music on the bridge is so lovely! |
Summary
Exclamatory sentences rely on particles, interjections, and intensifiers to convey strong feelings clearly and naturally. Practice noticing and using these small cues to sound more expressive in Mandarin.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025