Expressing "stop doing" with "bie… le"

You may know how to make negative commands with "bie," but what if someone is already doing it? The pattern 别⋯⋯了 (bié... le) is all you need to tell someone to STOP DOING THAT (which they're already doing).

Structure

别 + Verb / [Verb Phrase] + 了

Instead of just a verb, it can also be a verb phrase.

Examples

• 别 说 了 ， 我 不 想 听 。Bié shuō le, wǒ bù xiǎng tīng.Stop talking. I don't want to listen.
• 别 问 了 ， 我 不 想 说 。Bié wèn le, wǒ bù xiǎng shuō.Stop asking. I don't want to say.
• 别 做 了 ，明天 做 吧 。Bié zuò le, míngtiān zuò ba.Stop doing it. Do it tomorrow.
• 别 看 了，睡觉 ！Bié kàn le, shuìjiào! Stop watching. Go to sleep!
• 别 哭 了 ！Bié kū le!Stop crying!
• 别 笑 了 ，别人 都 在 看 你 。Bié xiào le, biérén dōu zài kàn nǐ.Stop laughing. Other people are looking at you.
• 别 吃 了 ，我们 要 迟到 了 。Bié chī le, wǒmen yào chídào le.Stop eating. We're going to be late.
• 别 玩 了 ，去 写 作业 。Bié wán le, qù xiě zuòyè.Stop playing. Do your homework.
• 别 喝 了 ，你 已经 醉 了 。Bié hē le, nǐ yǐjīng zuì le.Stop drinking. You're already drunk.

Other Meaning

"别verb了"还可以表示否定对方的建议或者试图改变别人的想法。和前面的不同之处在于这个动作还没有发生。

A few examples:

• 别 买 了 ，太 贵 了 ！In this case, the person probably isn't actually paying, but she or he is thinking about it.Bié mǎi le, tài guì le! Don't buy it. It's too expensive!
• 别 做饭 了 ，出去 吃 吧 。In this case, the person probably isn't actually cooking, but she or he is thinking about it.Bié zuòfàn le, chūqù chī ba.Let's go out for dinner instead of cook.
• 下雨 了 ，别 出去 了 。In this case, the person hasn't left yet, but she or he is thinking about going out.Xiàyǔ le, bié chūqù le.It's raining. Let's stay inside instead of going out.

See also

• Negative commands with "bie"

Sources and further reading

Books

• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 83) [ →buy]

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (p. 92) →buy