Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not anymore" with "le""
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*<em>没有</em> 纸 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">in other words, "we're out of paper"</span><span class="pinyin"><em>Méiyǒu</em> zhǐ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">There's no paper anymore.</span> | *<em>没有</em> 纸 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">in other words, "we're out of paper"</span><span class="pinyin"><em>Méiyǒu</em> zhǐ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">There's no paper anymore.</span> | ||
*手机 <em>没有</em> 电 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Shǒujī <em>méiyǒu</em> diàn <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">My cell phone has run out of power.</span> | *手机 <em>没有</em> 电 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Shǒujī <em>méiyǒu</em> diàn <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">My cell phone has run out of power.</span> | ||
| − | *他 <em>没有</em> 家 <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>méiyǒu</em> jiā <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't have his home anymore. </span> | + | *他 <em>没有</em> 家 <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>méiyǒu</em> jiā <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't have his home anymore.</span> |
*我们 都 <em>没有</em> 钱 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>méiyǒu</em> qián <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">We all don't have any more money.</span> | *我们 都 <em>没有</em> 钱 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>méiyǒu</em> qián <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">We all don't have any more money.</span> | ||
*你 <em>不</em> 喜欢 我 <em>了</em> 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bù</em> xǐhuan wǒ <em>le</em> ma?</span><span class="trans">You don't like me anymore?</span> | *你 <em>不</em> 喜欢 我 <em>了</em> 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bù</em> xǐhuan wǒ <em>le</em> ma?</span><span class="trans">You don't like me anymore?</span> | ||
| − | *我 <em>不</em> 想 吃 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù</em> xiǎng chī <em>le</em>. </span><span class="trans">I don't want to eat anymore.</span> | + | *我 <em>不</em> 想 吃 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù</em> xiǎng chī <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I don't want to eat anymore.</span> |
*你们 <em>不</em> 能 喝 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>bù</em> néng hē <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">You can't drink anymore.</span> | *你们 <em>不</em> 能 喝 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>bù</em> néng hē <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">You can't drink anymore.</span> | ||
*我 <em>已经 不</em> 住 这里 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yǐjīng bù</em> zhù zhèlǐ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I don't live here anymore.</span> | *我 <em>已经 不</em> 住 这里 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yǐjīng bù</em> zhù zhèlǐ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I don't live here anymore.</span> | ||
| − | *他 <em>已经 不</em> 在 这儿 工作 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yǐjīng bù</em> zài zhèr gōngzuò <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't work here anymore. </span> | + | *他 <em>已经 不</em> 在 这儿 工作 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yǐjīng bù</em> zài zhèr gōngzuò <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't work here anymore.</span> |
| − | *他们 <em>已经 不</em> 在 一起 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>yǐjīng bù</em> zài yīqǐ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">They are no longer together. </span> | + | *他们 <em>已经 不</em> 在 一起 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>yǐjīng bù</em> zài yīqǐ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">They are no longer together.</span> |
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Revision as of 04:04, 24 May 2017
In a negative sentence, the sentence-final 了 (le) can take on the meaning of "(not) anymore" or "no longer." The word 已经 (yǐjīng), which means "already," may nor may not accompany it.
Structure
已经 (yǐjīng) is optional for this pattern, but either 不 (bù) or 没有 (méiyǒu) will be needed to make the verb negative. The sentence-final 了 (le) is, of course, required.
(已经 +) 不 / 没(有) + [Verb Phrase] + 了
Examples
- 没有 纸 了 。in other words, "we're out of paper"There's no paper anymore.
- 手机 没有 电 了 。My cell phone has run out of power.
- 他 没有 家 了。He doesn't have his home anymore.
- 我们 都 没有 钱 了 。We all don't have any more money.
- 你 不 喜欢 我 了 吗？You don't like me anymore?
- 我 不 想 吃 了 。I don't want to eat anymore.
- 你们 不 能 喝 了 。You can't drink anymore.
- 我 已经 不 住 这里 了 。I don't live here anymore.
- 他 已经 不 在 这儿 工作 了 。He doesn't work here anymore.
- 他们 已经 不 在 一起 了 。They are no longer together.
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)
