Expressing "already" with just "le"

You understand the word 已经 (yǐjīng) to mean "already" in Chinese, and it is followed with a 了 (le). However, sometimes, that feeling of "already" can also be expressed with 了 (le) alone.

Structure

[Verb phrase] + 了

Examples

• 我 吃 饭 了 。 Wǒ chī fàn le. I've (already) eaten.
• 我 已经 告诉 他 了 。 Wǒ yǐjīng gàosu tā le. I've already told him.
• 你 已经 知道 了 。 Nǐ yǐjīng zhīdao le. "You knew (that) already."
• 我 已经 做完 了 。 Wǒ yǐjīng zuòwán le. I already finished it.
• 他 已经 走 了 。 Tā yǐjīng zǒu le. He has already left.
• 已经 晚 了 。 Yǐjīng wǎn le. It's already late.
• 我们 已经 在 飞机 上 了 。 Wǒmen yǐjīng zài fēijī shàng le. We're on the plane already.
• 已经 学 过 了 。 (The subject is unclear here.)Yǐjīng xué guò le. Already studied it.
• 面包 已经 买 了 。 (The subject is unclear here.)Miànbāo yǐjīng mǎi le. Already bought the bread.
• 已经 给 你 了 。 (The subject is unclear here.)Yǐjīng gěi nǐ le. Already gave it to you.

See also

• "Already" with "yijing"
• Expressing "not anymore" with "le"
• Uses of "le"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (p. 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)