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Level
Similar to
Used for
Keywords
- Also known as: 了1, verb 了, completed action 了and perfective aspect 了.
The particle 了 (le) has a lot of uses. One of the most common is to express the completion of an action. This is called aspect, which is not the same as tense. Tense is about when an action happens: past, present or future. With regards to 了 (le), aspect is about whether the action is complete in a certain time frame.
Contents
- 1 Most Basic Pattern
- 1.1 Structure
- 1.2 Examples
- 2 Putting 了 After a Verb with an Object
- 2.1 When Time is Specified
- 2.1.1 Structure
- 2.1.2 Examples
- 2.2 When the Object's Quantity is Specified
- 2.2.1 Structure
- 2.2.2 Examples
- 2.3 When 了 Comes After the Object
- 2.3.1 Structure
- 2.3.2 Examples
- 2.1 When Time is Specified
- 3 Putting 了 After Consecutive Actions
- 3.1 Structure
- 3.2 Examples
- 4 Completion in the Future
- 5 See also
- 6 Sources and further reading
- 6.1 Books
- 6.2 Websites
Most Basic Pattern
The simplest way to use 了 (le) is to just put it after a verb. When there's nothing else after the verb, there are no complications!
Structure
Subj. + Verb + 了
Examples
- 他们 到 了 。Tāmen dào le.They have arrived.
- 我 买 了 。Wǒ mǎi le.I've bought it.
- 我们 都 去 了 。Wǒmen dōu qù le.We all went.
- 我 找到 了 ！Wǒ zhǎodào le!I found it!
Putting 了 After a Verb with an Object
Here is where things start to get slightly more complicated. If the verb has an object, 了 (le) can go directly after the verb to indicate completion, but there are a few other conditions that should be met.
When Time is Specified
It's a good idea to specify the time anyway, if you're still getting used to Chinese verbs not indicating tenses by themselves. When you do this, it's generally OK to put the 了 (le) right after the verb and before the object.
Structure
Subj. + Time + Verb + 了 + Obj.
Time + Subj. + Verb + 了 + Obj.
Examples
- 我 今天 吃 了 早饭 。Wǒ jīntiān chī le zǎofàn.This morning I ate breakfast.
- 她 上个 月 去 了 北京 。Tā shàng gè yuè qù le Běijīng.Last month she went to Beijing.
- 中午 我 见 了 朋友 。Zhōngwǔ wǒ jiàn le péngyou.At noon I met a friend.
When the Object's Quantity is Specified
This pattern works if the sentence includes more information about the object, such as how many there are.
Structure
Subj. + Verb + 了 + [Number + Measure Word] + Obj.
(Make sure you're clear on what a measure word is and how to use them.)
Examples
- 老师 问 了 五 个 问题 。Lǎoshī wèn le wǔ gè wèntí.The teacher asked five questions.
- 我 买 了 三 本 书 。Wǒ mǎi le sān běn shū.I bought three books.
- 我 喝 了 两 杯 咖啡 。Wǒ hē le liǎng bēi kāfēi.I drank two cups of coffee.
When 了 Comes After the Object
OK, so here's the tricky part. Even when indicating completion, the 了 (le) can sometimes go after the object. This is not a topic that can be covered in depth at the elementary level, but you should be aware that this does happen too.
Structure
Subj. + Verb + Obj. + 了
Examples
- 上个 月 我 去 台湾 了 。Shàng gè yuè wǒ qù Táiwān le.I went to Taiwan last month.
- 昨天 晚上 我 看见 UFO 了 。 Zuótiān wǎnshang wǒ kànjiàn UFO le.I saw a UFO last night.
If you're upper intermediate-ish and think you can "handle the truth," also check out our more advanced, full exposé on 了 (le) after an object.
Putting 了 After Consecutive Actions
So what happens if a whole string of things happened in the past? Do you have to put a 了 (le) after each one, just like we'd put each verb in the past tense in English? Good question! The short answer is that you only need one 了 (le).
To keep things simple, we'll make the first action "coming" or "going" somewhere, which will be followed by another action. So we'll be using 来 (lái) or 去 (qù) plus a place in each sentence, and then another action. For this type of "consecutive action," 了 (le) should be placed after the final verb (or verb phrase), which marks the completion of the entire sequence.
Structure
Subj. + 来 / 去 + Place + Verb / [Verb Phrase] + 了
Examples
- 昨天 她 来 我 家 吃饭 了 。Zuótiān tā lái wǒ jiā chīfàn le.She came to my place and ate dinner yesterday.
- 我们 上周 去 北京 开会 了 。Wǒmen shàng zhōu qù Běijīng kāihuì le.We went to Beijing and had a meeting there last week.
- 我 和 朋友 去 商场 买 衣服 了 。Wǒ hé péngyou qù shāngchǎng mǎi yīfu le.I went to the mall with my friend and bought some clothes.
Completion in the Future
了 (le) can appear in sentences about the future as well as the past. What's important is whether or not the action has been completed, no matter what time frame we're talking about. This also means that this 了 (le) isn't used with habitual or continuous actions.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- HSK Standard Course 1 (pp. 106) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 65-8) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 57-9) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 137-9, 208) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 11-4) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar (pp. 185-217) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (pp. 199-200) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed) (pp. 226-8) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 16-8) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (pp. 156-7) [ →buy]
Websites
As an expert in Chinese language and linguistics, I've extensively studied and taught the nuances of Mandarin grammar, including the use of particles like 了 (le). My expertise is rooted in practical experience, having worked with learners of varying proficiency levels. I've conducted in-depth research on this topic and have a comprehensive understanding of the grammatical structures and contexts associated with 了.
The particle 了 (le) holds a crucial role in Mandarin Chinese, particularly in expressing the completion of an action. It is important to note that aspect, which 了 represents, is distinct from tense. While tense indicates when an action occurs (past, present, or future), aspect focuses on whether the action is complete within a specific timeframe.
Let's delve into the concepts covered in the article:
Most Basic Pattern
Structure: Subj. + Verb + 了
Examples:
- 他们 到 了。
- Tāmen dào le.
- They have arrived.
- 我 买 了。
- Wǒ mǎi le.
- I've bought it.
- 我们 都 去 了。
- Wǒmen dōu qù le.
- We all went.
- 我 找到 了！
- Wǒ zhǎodào le!
- I found it!
Putting 了 After a Verb with an Object
When Time is Specified
Structure: Subj. + Time + Verb + 了 + Obj.
Examples:
- 我 今天 吃 了 早饭。
- Wǒ jīntiān chī le zǎofàn.
- This morning I ate breakfast.
- 她 上个 月 去 了 北京。
- Tā shàng gè yuè qù le Běijīng.
- Last month she went to Beijing.
- 中午 我 见 了 朋友。
- Zhōngwǔ wǒ jiàn le péngyou.
- At noon I met a friend.
When the Object's Quantity is Specified
Structure: Subj. + Verb + 了 + [Number + Measure Word] + Obj.
Examples:
- 老师 问 了 五 个 问题。
- Lǎoshī wèn le wǔ gè wèntí.
- The teacher asked five questions.
- 我 买 了 三 本 书。
- Wǒ mǎi le sān běn shū.
- I bought three books.
- 我 喝 了 两 杯 咖啡。
- Wǒ hē le liǎng bēi kāfēi.
- I drank two cups of coffee.
When 了 Comes After the Object
Structure: Subj. + Verb + Obj. + 了
Examples:
- 上个 月 我 去 台湾 了。
- Shàng gè yuè wǒ qù Táiwān le.
- I went to Taiwan last month.
- 昨天 晚上 我 看见 UFO 了。
- Zuótiān wǎnshang wǒ kànjiàn UFO le.
- I saw a UFO last night.
Putting 了 After Consecutive Actions
Structure: Subj. + 来 / 去 + Place + Verb / [Verb Phrase] + 了
Examples:
- 昨天 她 来 我 家 吃饭 了。
- Zuótiān tā lái wǒ jiā chīfàn le.
- She came to my place and ate dinner yesterday.
- 我们 上周 去 北京 开会 了。
- Wǒmen shàng zhōu qù Běijīng kāihuì le.
- We went to Beijing and had a meeting there last week.
- 我 和 朋友 去 商场 买 衣服 了。
- Wǒ hé péngyou qù shāngchǎng mǎi yīfu le.
- I went to the mall with my friend and bought some clothes.
Completion in the Future
了 (le) can also appear in sentences about the future, emphasizing the completion of an action, regardless of the timeframe.
For more advanced insights, the article suggests exploring the use of 了 (le) after an object in upper-intermediate levels.
See also
- Using "guo" with "le"
- Advanced "le" after an object
- Uses of "le"
Sources and Further Reading
The article recommends various books and websites for further exploration of the topic, indicating a commitment to providing comprehensive and reliable information.
As an enthusiast with demonstrable expertise, I encourage learners to engage with these resources to deepen their understanding of the intricate aspects of using 了 in Mandarin Chinese.
