Difference between revisions of "Expressing completion with "le""

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{{Grammar Box}} \r\n{{AKA|verb 了|completed action 了|perfective aspect 了}}\r\nThe particle 了 (le) has a [[Uses of "le"|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. ''Aspect'' is about whether the action is ''complete'' in whatever time frame we're talking about.\r\n== The Basic Pattern ==\r\nTo indicate completeness with 了, the structure is:\r\n<div class="jiegou">\r\nSubject + Verb + 了 + Object\r\n</div>\r\nNotice that 了 goes directly after the verb. This 了 is called '''verb 了'''.\r\n== Example Sentences ==\r\nSome basic examples:\r\n<div class="liju">\r\n* 他 上 <em>了</em> 飞机。 <span class="trans">He got on the plane.</span>
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{{Grammar Box}}  
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{{AKA|verb 了|completed action 了|perfective aspect 了}}
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The particle 了 (le) has a [[Uses of "le"|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. ''Aspect'' is about whether the action is ''complete'' in whatever time frame we're talking about.
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== The Basic Pattern ==
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To indicate completeness with 了, the structure is:
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<div class="jiegou">
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 +
Subject + Verb + 了 + Object
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</div>
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Notice that 了 goes directly after the verb. This 了 is called '''verb 了'''.
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== Example Sentences ==
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Some basic examples:
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<div class="liju">
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 +
* 他 上 <em>了</em> 飞机。 <span class="trans">He got on the plane.</span>
 
* 我 喝 <em>了</em> 五 瓶 啤酒。 <span class="trans">I drank five bottles of beer.</span>
 
* 我 喝 <em>了</em> 五 瓶 啤酒。 <span class="trans">I drank five bottles of beer.</span>
 
* 我 吃 <em>了</em> 两 个 苹果。 <span class="trans">I ate two apples.</span>
 
* 我 吃 <em>了</em> 两 个 苹果。 <span class="trans">I ate two apples.</span>
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* 老板 说 <em>了</em> 两 句 话 就 走 了。 <span class="trans">The boss said two sentences then left.</span>
 
* 老板 说 <em>了</em> 两 句 话 就 走 了。 <span class="trans">The boss said two sentences then left.</span>
 
* 我 学<em>了</em> 两 年 中文。 <span class="trans"> I studied two years of Chinese.</span>
 
* 我 学<em>了</em> 两 年 中文。 <span class="trans"> I studied two years of Chinese.</span>
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* 他 偷 <em>了</em> 你 的 钱包？ <span class="trans">He stole your wallet?</span>\r\n</div>\r\nThe examples above indicate a completed action, but they might also seem very similar to a "past tense" in English.  To illustrate that 了 can also indicate that one action is completed before another, see the following examples:\r\n<div class="liju">\r\n* 你 吃 完 <em>了</em> 以后，来找我。 <span class="trans">After you've finished eating, come find me. (future action)</span>
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* 他 偷 <em>了</em> 你 的 钱包？ <span class="trans">He stole your wallet?</span>
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</div>
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The examples above indicate a completed action, but they might also seem very similar to a "past tense" in English.  To illustrate that 了 can also indicate that one action is completed before another, see the following examples:
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 +
<div class="liju">
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 +
* 你 吃 完 <em>了</em> 以后，来找我。 <span class="trans">After you've finished eating, come find me. (future action)</span>
 
* 你 到 <em>了</em> 以后，给 我 打电话。 <span class="trans">After you have arrived, give me a call. (future action)</span>
 
* 你 到 <em>了</em> 以后，给 我 打电话。 <span class="trans">After you have arrived, give me a call. (future action)</span>
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* 明天 我 吃 <em>了</em> 晚饭 以后 就 跟 朋友 去 咖啡店。 <span class="trans">Tomorrow after I've eaten dinner, I'll go to a cafe with friends. (future action)</span>\r\n</div>\r\nAs you can see, 了 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 we're talking about. This also means that the verbal 了 can't be used with habitual or continuous actions.\r\n==See also==\r\n*[[Expressing experiences with verbs]]
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* 明天 我 吃 <em>了</em> 晚饭 以后 就 跟 朋友 去 咖啡店。 <span class="trans">Tomorrow after I've eaten dinner, I'll go to a cafe with friends. (future action)</span>
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</div>
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As you can see, 了 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 we're talking about. This also means that the verbal 了 can't be used with habitual or continuous actions.
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==See also==
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*[[Expressing experiences with verbs]]
 
*[[Uses of "le"]]
 
*[[Uses of "le"]]
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*[[Using "guo" with "le"]]\r\n== Sources and further reading ==\r\n=== Books ===\r\n* [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (pp. 65-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899 →buy]
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*[[Using "guo" with "le"]]
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== Sources and further reading ==
 +
 
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=== Books ===
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* [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (pp. 65-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899 →buy]
 
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 57-9) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
 
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 57-9) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
 
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 137-9, 208) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
 
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 137-9, 208) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
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* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)]] (pp. 226-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235 →buy]
 
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)]] (pp. 226-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235 →buy]
 
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 16-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297 →buy]
 
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 16-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297 →buy]
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*[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）]] (pp. 156-7)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy]\r\n=== Websites ===\r\n* Yale: [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/mandarin/content/Lele/grammar/Lele.htm The Perfective –Le了 Versus The Modal Particle Le了]
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*[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）]] (pp. 156-7)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy]
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* East Asia Student: [http://eastasiastudent.net/2630/china/mandarin/cmn-grammar/four-kinds-le/ 了 grammar: four kinds of 了 in Mandarin]\r\n[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
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=== Websites ===
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* Yale: [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/mandarin/content/Lele/grammar/Lele.htm The Perfective –Le了 Versus The Modal Particle Le了]
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* East Asia Student: [http://eastasiastudent.net/2630/china/mandarin/cmn-grammar/four-kinds-le/ 了 grammar: four kinds of 了 in Mandarin]
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[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
{{Basic Grammar|了|A2|Subject + Verb + 了 + Object|我　吃 <em>了</em> 早饭。|grammar point|ASGAGDCQ}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|了|A2|Subject + Verb + 了 + Object|我　吃 <em>了</em> 早饭。|grammar point|ASGAGDCQ}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing experiences with "guo"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing experiences with "guo"}}

Revision as of 09:11, 26 November 2013

This article is a stub. Editors can help the Chinese Grammar Wiki by expanding it.
Also known as: 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. Aspect is about whether the action is complete in whatever time frame we're talking about.

The Basic Pattern

To indicate completeness with 了, the structure is:

Subject + Verb + 了 + Object

Notice that 了 goes directly after the verb. This 了 is called verb 了.

Example Sentences

Some basic examples:

  • 他 上 了 飞机。 He got on the plane.
  • 我 喝 了 五 瓶 啤酒。 I drank five bottles of beer.
  • 我 吃 了 两 个 苹果。 I ate two apples.
  • 两 个 小时 看 了 一 本 书。 I read a book for two hours.
  • 做 完 了 这 个 工作，还 有 两 个。 After finishing this work, there are still two.
  • 今天 我 做 了 很 多 事。 Today I did a lot of things.
  • 他 只 买 了 一 个 三明治。 He only bought one sandwich.
  • 我 看见 了 UFO。 I saw a UFO.
  • 老板 说 了 两 句 话 就 走 了。 The boss said two sentences then left.
  • 我 学了 两 年 中文。 I studied two years of Chinese.
  • 他 偷 了 你 的 钱包？ He stole your wallet?

The examples above indicate a completed action, but they might also seem very similar to a "past tense" in English. To illustrate that 了 can also indicate that one action is completed before another, see the following examples:

  • 你 吃 完 了 以后，来找我。 After you've finished eating, come find me. (future action)
  • 你 到 了 以后，给 我 打电话。 After you have arrived, give me a call. (future action)
  • 明天 我 吃 了 晚饭 以后 就 跟 朋友 去 咖啡店。 Tomorrow after I've eaten dinner, I'll go to a cafe with friends. (future action)

As you can see, 了 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 we're talking about. This also means that the verbal 了 can't be used with habitual or continuous actions.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites

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