Difference between revisions of "Expressing "already" with just "le""
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<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 要 不 要 告诉 他？<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ bú yào gàosù tā ? </span><span class="trans"> Will you tell him ?</span></li> | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 要 不 要 告诉 他？<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ bú yào gàosù tā ? </span><span class="trans"> Will you tell him ?</span></li> | ||
| − | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 他 知道 <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin"> Tā zhīdào <em> le </em>.</span><span class="trans">He (already) | + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 他 知道 <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin"> Tā zhīdào <em> le </em>.</span><span class="trans">He (already) knew .</span></li> |
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<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 应该 去 问 老师。<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ yīnggāi qù wèn lǎoshī . </span><span class="trans"> You should go ask the teacher. </span></li> | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 应该 去 问 老师。<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ yīnggāi qù wèn lǎoshī . </span><span class="trans"> You should go ask the teacher. </span></li> | ||
| − | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 我 问 <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ wèn <em> le </em>.</span><span class="trans">I did .</span></li> | + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 我 问 <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ wèn <em> le </em>.</span><span class="trans">I (already) did .</span></li> |
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| + | <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 的 书 呢？<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ de shū ne？</span><span class="trans"> Where are your books? </span></li> | ||
| + | <li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 放 包里 <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin"> Fàng bāo lǐ <em> le </em>.</span><span class="trans">I (already) put them in my bags .</span></li> | ||
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Revision as of 02:06, 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.
- A: 用 我 的 车 吧？ How about using my car ?
- B: 我们 有 车 了 。Thanks.We (already) had a car.
- A: 你 要 不 要 告诉 他？ Will you tell him ?
- B: 他 知道 了。He (already) knew .
- A: 你 应该 去 问 老师。 You should go ask the teacher.
- B: 我 问 了。I (already) did .
- A: 你 的 书 呢？ Where are your books?
- B: 放 包里 了。I (already) put them in my bags .
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)
