HSK 3
那
nà
so then
Structure
(Condition/Statement), 那 + Result/Decision
How it works
In this context, '那' (nà) is used as a conjunction at the beginning of a clause to mean 'then' or 'in that case'. it is typically used to start a sentence based on an inference or a decision made from the previous statement.
Examples
你不想吃面，那我们吃米饭吧。
Nǐ bù xiǎng chī miàn, nà wǒmen chī mǐfàn ba.
You don't want to eat noodles, then let's eat rice.
明天下雨，那我们就别去公园了。
Míngtiān xiàyǔ, nà wǒmen jiù bié qù gōngyuán le.
It's going to rain tomorrow, so let's not go to the park.
太贵了？那我不买了。
Tài guì le? Nà wǒ bù mǎi le.
Too expensive? Then I won't buy it.
Common mistakes
Do not confuse this '那' (then) with '那' (that). When used as 'then', it must appear at the start of the result clause, not directly before a noun.
Tip
Think of '那' as a shortcut for '那么' (nàme). In spoken Chinese, '那' is very common for making quick transitions or decisions based on what someone just said.
More HSK 3 grammar
See 那 in real Chinese
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