Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not anymore" with "le""
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*我 <strong>已经</strong> <em>不</em> 住 这里 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>yǐjīng</strong> <em>bù</em> zhù zhèlǐ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I don't live here anymore.</span> | *我 <strong>已经</strong> <em>不</em> 住 这里 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>yǐjīng</strong> <em>bù</em> zhù zhèlǐ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I don't live here anymore.</span> | ||
| − | *他 <strong>已经</strong> 不 在 这儿 工作 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>yǐjīng</strong> <em>bù</em> zài zhèr gōngzuò <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't work here anymore.</span> | + | *他 <strong>已经</strong> <em>不</em> 在 这儿 工作 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>yǐjīng</strong> <em>bù</em> zài zhèr gōngzuò <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't work here anymore.</span> |
| − | *他们 <strong>已经</strong> 不 在 一起 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <strong>yǐjīng</strong> <em>bù</em> zài yīqǐ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">They are no longer together.</span> | + | *他们 <strong>已经</strong> <em>不</em> 在 一起 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <strong>yǐjīng</strong> <em>bù</em> zài yīqǐ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">They are no longer together.</span> |
*我们 <strong>已经</strong> <em>没</em> 钱 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <strong>yǐjīng</strong> <em>méi</em> qián <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">We all don't have any more money.</span> | *我们 <strong>已经</strong> <em>没</em> 钱 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <strong>yǐjīng</strong> <em>méi</em> qián <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">We all don't have any more money.</span> | ||
Revision as of 10:14, 24 February 2018
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.
Contents
不 with Only 了
Structure
不 + [Verb Phrase] + 了
Examples
- 我 不 想 吃 了 。I don't want to eat anymore.
- 你 不 喜欢 我 了 吗？You don't like me anymore?
- 你们 不 能 打 了 。You can't fight anymore.
没有 with Only 了
Structure
没(有) + [Noun Phrase] + 了
Examples
- 没有 纸 了 。in other words, "we're out of paper"There's no paper anymore.
- 手机 没 电 了 。My cell phone has run out of power.
- 他 没有 家 了。He doesn't have his home anymore.
Adding 已经 for Emphasis
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.
Structure
已经 + 不 + [Verb Phrase] + 了
已经 + 没(有) + [Noun Phrase] + 了
Examples
- 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.
- 我们 已经 没 钱 了 。We all don't have any more money.
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)
