Of course you play chords with a bass. Generally, they are arpeggiated but on a 6-string you can strum the chord. People don't know that about a 6-string bass guitar--you can and should strum it like a guitar. 6-string is a whole different way of playing bass--it's an entire orchestra in itself. So you can play an A major 7th on a 6-string by strumming--sounds real pretty too.
On a 4-string, you want to arpeggiate the chord by playing an A C# E and G#. You have myriad ways to arpeggiate whereas you are more limited in strumming.
If they are showing the chords on a 6-string then they may intend for you to strum it in which case arpeggiating it may not work. If that is the case then just play the root note. You can do a triad strum on a 4-string by playing the A open and playing C# on the D string and the E on the G string and sweep across them with your thumb but you'll have to forego the 7th. Try that and see how it works for you.
You could also forego the 5th in the strum and play the high G# on the G string in place of the E which would sound really pretty if you are ending the song on that chord.
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