Difference between revisions of "Expressing "already" with just "le""
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| − | + | {{Grammar Box}} | |
| − | You can expect to see the word 已经 ( | + | You can expect to see the word 已经 (yǐjīng) to mean "already" in Chinese, and it is followed with a [[了]] (le), but sometimes that feeling of "already" can also be expressed with 了 (le) alone. |
| + | |||
| + | == Structure == | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | (已经) + [Verb phrase] + 了 | ||
| + | |||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Examples == | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * 我 | + | * 我 吃 饭 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="trans">I've (already) eaten.</span> |
| − | * 我 | + | * 我 已经 告诉 他 <em>了</em>。 <span class="trans">I've already told him.</span> |
| − | * 你 已经 知道 <em>了</em>。 <span class=" | + | * 你 已经 知道 <em>了</em>。 <span class="trans">"You knew (that) already."</span> |
| − | * 我 已经 做完 <em>了</em>。 | + | * 我 已经 做完 <em>了</em>。 <span class="trans">I already finished it.</span> |
| − | * 他 已经 走 <em>了</em>。 | + | * 他 已经 走 <em>了</em>。 <span class="trans">He has already left.</span> |
| − | * 已经 晚 <em>了</em>。 | + | * 已经 晚 <em>了</em>。 <span class="trans">It's already late.</span> |
| − | * 我们 已经 在 飞机 上 <em>了</em>。 | + | * 我们 已经 在 飞机 上 <em>了</em>。 <span class="trans">We're on the plane already.</span> |
| − | * 已经 学 过 <em>了</em>。 | + | * 已经 学 过 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">(The subject is unclear here.)</span><span class="trans">Already studied it.</span> |
| − | * 面包 已经 买 <em>了</em>。 | + | * 面包 已经 买 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">(The subject is unclear here.)</span><span class="trans">Already bought the bread.</span> |
| − | * 已经 给 你 <em>了</em>。 | + | * 已经 给 你 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">(The subject is unclear here.)</span><span class="trans">Already gave it to you.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
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== See also == | == See also == | ||
| + | * [[Expressing "not anymore" with "le"]] | ||
* [[Uses of "le"]] | * [[Uses of "le"]] | ||
Revision as of 07:48, 20 February 2014
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Level
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Used for
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Keywords
You can expect to see the word 已经 (yǐjīng) to mean "already" in Chinese, and it is followed with a 了 (le), but sometimes that feeling of "already" can also be expressed with 了 (le) alone.
Structure
(已经) + [Verb phrase] + 了
Examples
- 我 吃 饭 了 。 I've (already) eaten.
- 我 已经 告诉 他 了。 I've already told him.
- 你 已经 知道 了。 "You knew (that) already."
- 我 已经 做完 了。 I already finished it.
- 他 已经 走 了。 He has already left.
- 已经 晚 了。 It's already late.
- 我们 已经 在 飞机 上 了。 We're on the plane already.
- 已经 学 过 了。 (The subject is unclear here.)Already studied it.
- 面包 已经 买 了。 (The subject is unclear here.)Already bought the bread.
- 已经 给 你 了。 (The subject is unclear here.)Already gave it to you.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 68) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 126-9) →buy
- Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar (pp. 238-99) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 217-8) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 64-5) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (p. 8) →buy
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 239)→buy
Websites
- Chinesegrammar.info: Chinese le grammar summary (了)
