nà / nèi: 那 - That, Those, In that case

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• Summary: “那” (nà) is one of the most fundamental words in Mandarin Chinese, primarily meaning “that” or “those.” It's a demonstrative pronoun used to point to people, objects, or concepts that are farther away from the speaker, serving as the direct counterpart to “这” (zhè), which means “this.” Beyond its core function as a pointer, “那” is also a crucial conversational tool, used to mean “in that case” or “then…” to connect ideas. Understanding how to use “那” is a critical first step in building basic Chinese sentences and achieving conversational fluency.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): nà (formal/standard) / nèi (colloquial)
• Part of Speech: Pronoun, Adverb, Conjunction
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: “That” or “those”; used to indicate something distant in space, time, or concept.
• In a Nutshell: “那” is the Chinese word for “that.” Think of it as a pointing finger. If something is close to you, you use “这” (zhè - this). If it's farther away—across the room, in the past, or an idea someone else mentioned—you use “那” (nà). It’s also used constantly in conversation to start a sentence with the feeling of “Well then…” or “In that case…”, connecting what you're about to say to what was just said.

• 那 (nà): This is a phono-semantic compound character, meaning it has a part for meaning and a part for sound.
  • The right side, 阝(yì), is a radical that originally meant “city” or “settlement.” It gives a clue about location or place.
  • The left side, 冄 (rǎn), primarily functions as the phonetic component, giving the character its sound.
• Together, they form a character used to point to “that” specific place, person, or thing.

While “那” is a functional word, its conversational usage reveals a key aspect of Chinese communication style. Using “那…” (nà…) at the beginning of a sentence is incredibly common and functions as a discourse marker. It signals a response or a logical continuation of the previous speaker's point. For example: A: “It's raining outside.” B: “那我们就不出去了。” (Nà wǒmen jiù bù chūqù le.) - “Then let's not go out.” This is different from simply stating a new fact. It creates a smooth, logical flow, showing that you are actively listening and building upon the conversation. While English has similar words like “so,” “well,” or “in that case,” the frequency and naturalness of using “那” in Chinese is much higher. It reflects a conversational value of connection and responsiveness, where statements are often explicitly linked to what came before. It’s less about abrupt, independent statements and more about weaving a conversation together.

“那” is used constantly in daily life, from ordering food to discussing plans. Its usage can be broken down into a few key patterns.

This is its most basic function. The structure is almost always: 那 + (Measure Word) + Noun.

• 那个人 (nà ge rén) - That person
• 那本书 (nà běn shū) - That book
• 那些东西 (nà xiē dōngxi) - Those things
• Note: The colloquial pronunciation nèi is extremely common here, especially in Northern China. You will frequently hear “nèi ge” instead of “nà ge.”

Used to start a sentence that is a logical result of a previous statement or situation.

• A: 我没带钱。(Wǒ méi dài qián.) - “I didn't bring any money.”
• B: 那我来付吧。(Nà wǒ lái fù ba.) - “In that case, I'll pay.”

The phrase 那个 (nàge or nèige) is one of the most common filler phrases in Mandarin, equivalent to “um,” “uh,” or “like” in English. Speakers use it when they are pausing to think of what to say next.

• 我想说的是…那个…我们应该先计划一下。(Wǒ xiǎng shuō de shì… nèige… wǒmen yīnggāi xiān jìhuà yīxià.) - “What I want to say is… uhm… we should plan it out first.”

• Example 1:
  • 那是我的老师。
  • Pinyin: Nà shì wǒ de lǎoshī.
  • English: That is my teacher.
  • Analysis: The most basic structure, identifying a person at a distance.
• Example 2:
  • 你看那座山，多高啊！
  • Pinyin: Nǐ kàn nà zuò shān, duō gāo a!
  • English: Look at that mountain, it's so tall!
  • Analysis: Used with the measure word for mountains, “座 (zuò),” to point out a specific object.
• Example 3:
  • 我不喜欢那件衣服的颜色。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bù xǐhuān nà jiàn yīfu de yánsè.
  • English: I don't like the color of that piece of clothing.
  • Analysis: Shows the standard pattern: 那 + Measure Word (件 jiàn) + Noun (衣服 yīfu).
• Example 4:
  • A: 明天会下雨。(Míngtiān huì xià yǔ.) - “It's going to rain tomorrow.”
  • B: 那我们的计划就要取消了。( Nà wǒmen de jìhuà jiù yào qǔxiāo le.)
  • English: B: In that case, our plans will have to be canceled.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of “那” used as a conjunction to show a logical conclusion.
• Example 5:
  • 你还记得那时候的事吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ hái jìde nà shíhou de shì ma?
  • English: Do you still remember what happened at that time?
  • Analysis: “那” is used here to refer to a point in the past, something distant in time, not just space.
• Example 6:
  • 请把桌子上的东西放到那里。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ zhuōzi shàng de dōngxi fàng dào nàli.
  • English: Please put the things on the table over there.
  • Analysis: Paired with “里 (li)” to form “那里” (nàli), meaning “there” or “that place.”
• Example 7:
  • 你为什么那么晚才来？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishéme nàme wǎn cái lái?
  • English: Why did you arrive so late? (Literally: “that late”)
  • Analysis: Paired with “么 (me)” to form “那么” (nàme), meaning “so,” “like that,” or to that degree.
• Example 8:
  • A: 我饿了。(Wǒ è le.) - “I'm hungry.”
  • B: 那我们去吃饭吧！( Nà wǒmen qù chīfàn ba!)
  • English: B: Then let's go eat!
  • Analysis: A very common, quick, and natural conversational response.
• Example 9:
  • 内个多少钱？
  • Pinyin: Nèi ge duōshǎo qián?
  • English: How much is that one?
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the common colloquial pronunciation “nèi,” which you are very likely to hear when shopping in China.
• Example 10:
  • 我要找一下…那个…我的钥匙。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yào zhǎo yīxià… nàge… wǒ de yàoshi.
  • English: I need to find… uhm… my keys.
  • Analysis: Shows “那个 (nàge)” being used as a classic filler phrase while the speaker is thinking or searching.

• Forgetting the Measure Word: This is the most common mistake for beginners. In English, we say “that book,” but in Chinese, you must include a measure word.
  • Incorrect: 我要那书。(Wǒ yào nà shū.)
  • Correct: 我要那本书。(Wǒ yào nà běn shū.)
• Confusing `那 (nà)` with `这 (zhè)`: This is a simple but crucial distinction. `这 (zhè)` means “this” (close by), while `那 (nà)` means “that” (far away). Always be mindful of your relative position to the object you're discussing.
  • This book (in my hand): 这本书 (zhè běn shū)
  • That book (on the shelf): 那本书 (nà běn shū)
• Understanding `那个 (nèige)` as a Filler: The phrase `那个 (nèige)` sounds phonetically similar to a racial slur in English. While it's good to be aware of this, it's vital to understand that in Mandarin, it is a completely neutral filler word with no negative connotation whatsoever. When you hear a native speaker saying “nèige, nèige, nèige…” they are simply thinking, just as an English speaker would say “um, uh, like…” Don't misinterpret it.

• 这 (zhè) - The direct antonym of 那, meaning “this” or “these.” Used for things physically or conceptually close to the speaker.
• 哪 (nǎ) - The question word “which.” The character looks and sounds similar to 那, which can confuse beginners. Remember, `nǎ` has a mouth radical (口) on the left.
• 那里 (nàli) - A location word meaning “there” or “that place.”
• 这里 (zhèli) - A location word meaning “here” or “this place.”
• 那个 (nàge / nèige) - A specific phrase meaning “that one.” It's the most common combination of 那 + measure word and is also widely used as a conversational filler.
• 那么 (nàme) - An adverb meaning “so,” “in that way,” or “to that extent” (e.g., 那么好 - so good).
• 那时候 (nà shíhou) - A phrase meaning “at that time” or “back then.”
• 然后 (ránhòu) - A conjunction meaning “and then” or “afterwards.” While both `那` and `然后` can be translated as “then,” `然后` is used for a sequence of events, whereas `那` indicates a logical consequence.