Difference between revisions of "Expressing "already" with just "le""
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<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 老板 呢？<span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn ne ? </span><span class="trans">Where is the boss ?</span></li> | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 老板 呢？<span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn ne ? </span><span class="trans">Where is the boss ?</span></li> | ||
| − | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 走 <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin"> Zǒu <em> le </em>.</span><span class="trans">He left.</span></li> | + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 走 <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin"> Zǒu <em> le </em>.</span><span class="trans">He (already) left.</span></li> |
| + | </ul> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | <ul class="dialog"> | ||
| + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 孩子 还在 上 大学 吗？ <span class="pinyin"> Háizi hái zài shàng dàxué ma ?</span><span class="trans">Are your kids still in college ?</span></li> | ||
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 毕业 <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin"> Bìyè <em> le </em>.</span><span class="trans">He (already) graduated.</span></li> | ||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 01:48, 1 July 2015
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
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
- A: 老板 呢？Where is the boss ?
- B: 走 了。He (already) left.
- A: 孩子 还在 上 大学 吗？ Are your kids still in college ?
- B: 毕业 了。He (already) graduated.
See also
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)
