Difference between revisions of "Uses of "le""

Latest revision as of 06:13, 5 June 2023

The Chinese particle 了 has been traditionally divided into two broad categories: aspectual particle 了 (AKA 了1) and modal particle 了 (AKA 了2). However, for a word with as many varied grammatical uses, such broad classifications don't seem particularly helpful to learners. This article offers an alternative way to understand 了: by listing out specific uses and patterns without regard for traditional classifications, starting with the ones learners will want to learn right away, and moving into more and more complicated uses.

Beginner (A1) Uses of 了

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples	了 Type
Expressing "excessively" with "tai"	太 + Adj + 了	太好了 !	了2

Elementary (A2) Uses of 了

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples	了 Type
Expressing completion with "le"	Verb + 了	她去了北京。	了1
Questions with "le ma"	Verb + 了 + 吗？	你吃饭了吗？	了1
Using "guo" with "le"	Verb + 过 + 了	我们看过了。	了1
Expressing "already" with just "le"	Subj. + Verb + 了	我们都知道了。	了2
Result complement "-wan" for finishing	Subj. + Verb + 完 + 了	我说完了。	了2
Expressing change of state with "le"	[New Situation] + 了	今天我 25 岁了。	了2
Expressing "now" with "le"	[New Situation] + 了	电影开始了！	了2
Expressing duration	Verb + 了 + Duration	他在北京住了两年。	了2
Expressing duration (ongoing)	Verb + 了 + Duration + 了	他在北京住了两年了。	了2
Expressing "already" with "yijing"	已经 + Verb + 了	他已经走了。	了2
Expressing "about to happen" with "le"	快 + Verb / Adj. + 了	快下雨了。	了2
Expressing "not anymore" with "le"	(已经 +) 不 / 没(有) + [Verb Phrase] + 了	我不想吃了。	了2
Expressing "stop doing" with "bie… le"	别 + Verb + 了	别玩了，去写作业。	了2
Superlative "zui"	最 + Adj. + 了	四川菜最辣了。	了2
Negative adjectives with "-si le"	Adj. + 死了	我今天累死了。	了2

Intermediate (B1) Uses of 了

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples	了 Type
Making negative adjectives extreme with "-si le"	Adj. + 死了	这件衣服难看死了。	了2
Making positive adjectives extreme with "-ji le"	Adj. + 极了	你的中文好极了。	了2
Expressing "much more" in comparisons	Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + Adj. + 多了	我比你高多了。	了2
Expressing duration of inaction	(已经 +) Duration + 没 + Verb + 了	他已经三天没洗澡了。	了2
Expressing "about to" with "jiuyao"	Subj. + 就要 + Verb + 了	他们就要结婚了。	了2
Expressing "again" in the past with "you"	又 + Verb + 了	你又迟到了。	了2
Expressing "already" with "dou"	都 + Time + 了	都九点了，快点起床！	了2
Expressing earliness with "jiu"	Subj. + Time + 就 + Verb + 了	我昨晚八点半就睡觉了。	了2
Expressing "finally" with "zhongyu"	Subj. + 终于 + Predicate + 了	你终于到了。	了2
Expressing "more and more" with "yuelaiyue"	Subj. + 越来越 + Adj. + 了	天气越来越冷了。	了2
Expressing "all at once" with "yixiazi"	Subj. + 一下子 + Predicate + 了	天气一下子变冷了。	了2

Upper Intermediate (B2) Uses of 了

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples	了 Type
Intensifying adjectives extreme with "ke"	可 + Adj (+ 了)	你做的菜可好吃了。	了2
Expressing "A bit too"	Adj + 了一点(儿)	这个东西的质量是差了一点。	了2
Advanced "le" with complements	Subj. + Verb + Complement + 了	我们打赢了比赛。	了1, 2

Sources and further reading

Books

Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) (pp. 6-8, 14, 29, 71, 85, 108, 145, 150, 153, 158) →buy
Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar (pp. 185-300, 362) →buy
Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 62, 190, 192, 213-4, 218-9, 226-32, 236-9, 243-6, 261-2, 264-5) →buy
New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (pp. 199-200) →buy
New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 16-8, 55-6, 196-7, 217-8) →buy
A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 312-3, 400, 423-35, 497-8, 502) →buy
Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册) (pp. 62-72, 76-88) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 137-9, 208) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 8, 203-4) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 11-4, 268-9) →buy

Websites

Mandarin Essential Grammar (Yale): Change of State "le" 了
Mandarin Essential Grammar (Yale): Perfective –Le 了 Vs Particle Le 了
CTCFL (Oxford): The use of the particle 了
CTCFL (Oxford): The exercises on the use of the aspectual particle 了
Chinese Teachers' Net: On Le
ChinesePod: Qing Wen - 了 (le): Something's About to Happen (free podcast content)
ChinesePod: Qing Wen - The Double 了 (le) phenomenon (free podcast content)
ChinesePod: Qing Wen - The Glorious 了(le): Part 1 (free podcast content)
ChinesePod: Qing Wen - The Glorious 了(le): Part 2 (free podcast content)

Academic Research

Hooi Ling Soh and Meijia Gao, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities: Perfective Aspect and Transition in Mandarin Chinese: An Analysis of Double –le Sentences (PDF file)
Marita Ljungqvist Ari, Lund University: Aspect, tense and mood: Context dependency and the marker le in Mandarin Chinese (PDF file)
Limin Jin and Henriëtte Hendriks, Research Centre for English and Applied Linguistics: The development of aspect marking in L1 and L2 Chines (PDF file)

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The Chinese particle 了 has been traditionally divided into two broad categories: '''[[aspectual particle "le"|aspectual particle 了]]''' (AKA 了1) and '''[[modal particle "le"|modal particle 了]]''' (AKA 了2).  However, for a word with as many varied grammatical uses, such broad classifications don't seem particularly helpful to learners.  This article offers an alternative way to understand 了: by listing out specific uses and patterns without regard for traditional classifications, starting with the ones learners will want to learn right away, and moving into more and more complicated uses.\r\n== Beginner (A1) Uses of 了 ==\r\n{| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left"
+The Chinese particle 了 has been traditionally divided into two broad categories: '''[[aspectual particle "le"|aspectual particle 了]]''' (AKA 了1) and '''[[modal particle "le"|modal particle 了]]''' (AKA 了2).  However, for a word with as many varied grammatical uses, such broad classifications don't seem particularly helpful to learners.  This article offers an alternative way to understand 了: by listing out specific uses and patterns without regard for traditional classifications, starting with the ones learners will want to learn right away, and moving into more and more complicated uses.
+== Beginner (A1) Uses of 了 ==
+{| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left"
 |-
 ! Grammar Point (English) !! Pattern !! Examples!! 了 Type
@@ Line 5: / Line 9: @@
 |[[ASG8HVFN|Expressing "excessively" with "tai"]] || 太 + Adj + 了 || <span class="liju"><em>太</em> 好 <em>了</em> ! </span> || 了2
 |-
-|}\r\n== Elementary (A2) Uses of 了 ==\r\n{| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left"
+|}
+== Elementary (A2) Uses of 了 ==
+{| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left"
 |-
 ! Grammar Point (English) !! Pattern !! Examples!! 了 Type
 |-
-|[[ASGTSWBR|Expressing completion with "le"]] || V + 了 || <span class="liju">她 去 <em>了</em> 北京。</span> || 了1
+|[[ASGTSWBR|Expressing completion with "le"]] || Verb + 了 || <span class="liju">她 去 <em>了</em> 北京 。</span> || 了1
 |-
-|[[ASGYKDNF|Questions with "le ma"]] || V + 了 + 吗？ || <span class="liju">北京 去 <em>了 吗</em>？</span> || 了1
+|[[ASGYKDNF|Questions with "le ma"]] ||Verb + 了 + 吗 ？||<span class="liju">你 吃饭 <em>了 吗</em> ？</span> || 了1
 |-
-|[[The "zui" superlative|Making adjectives extreme with "zui"]] || 最 + Adj (+ 了) || <span class="liju">这 种 啤酒 <em>最 好 了</em>。</span> || 了2
+|[[ASGP69JD|Using "guo" with "le"]] ||Verb + 过 + 了||<span class="liju">我们 看 <em>过 了</em> 。</span> || 了1
 |-
-|[[ASGJ36VN|Expressing duration]] || Verb + 了 + [Duration] || <span class="liju">他 在 北京 住 了<em> 两 年</em>。</span> || 了2
+|[[ASGM055L|Expressing "already" with just "le"]] ||Subj. + Verb + 了|| <span class="liju">我们 都 知道 <em>了</em> 。</span> || 了2
 |-
-|[[ASGSVF28|Expressing duration of inaction]] || [Duration] + 没 + [Verb Phrase] ) (+ 了) || <span class="liju">他 已经 <em>三 天 没</em> 洗澡 了。</span> || 了2
+|[[ASGNQUC1|Result complement "-wan" for finishing]] ||Subj. + Verb + 完 + 了|| <span class="liju">我 说 完 <em>了</em> 。</span> || 了2
-|-\r\n|}\r\n== Intermediate (B1) Uses of 了 ==\r\n{| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left"
+|-
+|[[ASGT185D|Expressing change of state with "le"]] ||[New Situation] + 了|| <span class="liju">今天 我 25 岁 <em>了</em>。</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[ASGE5Q4|Expressing "now" with "le"]] ||[New Situation] + 了||<span class="liju">电影 开始 <em>了</em> ！</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[ASGJ36VN|Expressing duration]] ||Verb + 了 + Duration ||<span class="liju">他 在 北京 住 了<em> 两 年</em> 。</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[ASG69RR8|Expressing duration (ongoing)]] ||Verb + 了 + Duration + 了||<span class="liju">他 在 北京 住 了<em> 两 年 了</em>。</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[ASGNXI278|Expressing "already" with "yijing"]] || 已经 + Verb + 了|| <span class="liju">他 <em>已经</em> 走 <em>了</em> 。</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[ASGNGEU8|Expressing "about to happen" with "le"]] ||快 + Verb / Adj. + 了|| <span class="liju"><em>快</em> 下雨 <em>了</em> 。</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[ASGFR96B|Expressing "not anymore" with "le"]] ||(已经 +) 不 / 没(有) + [Verb Phrase] + 了|| <span class="liju">我 <em>不</em> 想 吃 <em>了</em> 。</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[Expressing "stop doing" with "bie… le"]] ||别 + Verb + 了|| <span class="liju"><em>别</em> 玩 <em>了</em> ，去 写 作业 。</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[ASG3544U|Superlative "zui"]] ||最 + Adj. + 了|| <span class="liju">四川 菜 <em>最</em> 辣 <strong>了</strong> 。</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[ASGLEVUV|Negative adjectives with "-si le"]] ||Adj. + 死了|| <span class="liju">我 今天 累 <em>死了</em> 。|| 了2
+|-
+|}
+== Intermediate (B1) Uses of 了 ==
+{| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left"
 |-
 ! Grammar Point (English) !! Pattern !! Examples!! 了 Type
 |-
-|[[ASGLEVUV|Making negative adjectives extreme with "-si le"]] || Adj + 死了 || <span class="liju">那 个 孩子 难 看 <em>死 了</em>。</span> || 了2
+|[[ASGLEVUV|Making negative adjectives extreme with "-si le"]] || Adj. + 死了|| <span class="liju">这 件 衣服 难看 <em>死了</em> 。</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[ASGVME5V|Making positive adjectives extreme with "-ji le"]] || Adj. + 极了|| <span class="liju">你的 中文 好 <em>极了</em> 。</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[ASG6KUS5|Expressing "much more" in comparisons]] ||Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + Adj. + 多了|| <span class="liju">我 <em>比</em> 你 高 <em>多 了</em> 。</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[ASGSVF28|Expressing duration of inaction]] || (已经 +) Duration + 没 + Verb + 了|| <span class="liju">他 已经 <em>三 天 没</em> 洗澡 <strong>了</strong> 。</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[ASG9B210|Expressing "about to" with "jiuyao"]] ||Subj. + 就要 + Verb + 了|| <span class="liju">他们 <em>就要</em> 结婚 <strong>了</strong> 。</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[ASGN1JR5|Expressing "again" in the past with "you"]] ||又 + Verb + 了|| <span class="liju">你 <em>又</em> 迟到 <strong>了</strong> 。</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[ASGT1CIR|Expressing "already" with "dou"]] ||都 + Time + 了|| <span class="liju"><em>都</em> 九点 <strong>了</strong> ，快点 起床 ！</span> || 了2
+|-
+|[[ASGKITRZ|Expressing earliness with "jiu"]] ||Subj. + Time + 就 + Verb + 了|| <span class="liju">我 昨晚 八 点 半 <em>就</em> 睡觉 <strong>了</strong> 。</span> || 了2
 |-
-|[[ASGVME5V|Making positive adjectives extreme with "-ji le"]] || Adj + 极了 || <span class="liju">你的 中文 好 <em>极了</em>。</span> || 了2
+|[[ASG700A5|Expressing "finally" with "zhongyu"]] ||Subj. + 终于 + Predicate + 了|| <span class="liju">你 <em>终于</em> 到 <strong>了</strong> 。</span> || 了2
 |-
-|[[ASG6KUS5|Expressing "much more" in comparisons]] || N1 + 比 + N2 + Adj + 多了 || <span class="liju">我 <em>比</em> 你 高 <em>多 了</em>。</span> || 了2
+|[[ASG7UE4H|Expressing "more and more" with "yuelaiyue"]] ||Subj. + 越来越 + Adj. + 了|| <span class="liju">天气 <em>越来越</em> 冷 <strong>了</strong> 。</span> || 了2
 |-
-|[[ASGT185D|Expressing change of state with "le"]] || ……了 || <span class="liju">今天 我 25 岁 <em>了</em>。你的 衣服 脏 <em>了</em>。</span> || 了2
+|[[ASG06EA|Expressing "all at once" with "yixiazi"]] ||Subj. + 一下子 + Predicate + 了|| <span class="liju">天气 <em>一下子</em> 变 冷 <strong>了</strong> 。</span> || 了2
 |-
-|}\r\n== Upper Intermediate (B2) Uses of 了 ==\r\n{| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left"
+|}
+== Upper Intermediate (B2) Uses of 了 ==
+{| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left"
 |-
 ! Grammar Point (English) !! Pattern !! Examples!! 了 Type
@@ Line 38: / Line 91: @@
 |[[Expressing "A bit too"]] || Adj + 了一点(儿) || <span class="liju">这个 东西 的 质量 是 <em>差 了 一点</em> 。</span> || 了2
 |-
-|[[Sentence-Final "le 1+2"]] || ……了 || <span class="liju">我 明白 你 为什么 走 <em>了</em> 。</span> || 了1, 2
+|[[Advanced "le" with complements]] || Subj. + Verb + Complement + 了 || <span class="liju">我们 打 赢 <em>了</em> 比赛 。</span> || 了1, 2
 |-
-|}\r\n
+|}
-==See Also==
+== See also ==
 * [[Expressing experiences with "guo"]]
-* [[Using "guo" with "le"]]\r\n== Sources and further reading ==\r\n=== Books ===\r\n* [[Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例)]] (pp. 6-8, 14, 29, 71, 85, 108, 145, 150, 153, 158) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7802006473/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7802006473 →buy]
+* [[Using "guo" with "le"]]
+== Sources and further reading ==
+=== Books ===
+* [[Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例)]] (pp. 6-8, 14, 29, 71, 85, 108, 145, 150, 153, 158) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7802006473/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7802006473 →buy]
 * [[Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar]] (pp. 185-300, 362) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520066103?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0520066103 →buy]
 * [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (pp. 62, 190, 192, 213-4, 218-9, 226-32, 236-9, 243-6, 261-2, 264-5) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 →buy]
@@ Line 52: / Line 113: @@
 * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 137-9, 208) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
 * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 8, 203-4) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy]
-* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (pp. 11-4, 268-9) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy]\r\n=== Websites ===\r\n* Mandarin Essential Grammar (Yale): [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/mandarin/content/le/grammar/changele.htm Change of State "le" 了]
+* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (pp. 11-4, 268-9) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy]
+=== Websites ===
+* Mandarin Essential Grammar (Yale): [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/mandarin/content/le/grammar/changele.htm Change of State "le" 了]
 * Mandarin Essential Grammar (Yale): [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/mandarin/content/Lele/grammar/Lele.htm Perfective –Le 了 Vs Particle Le 了]
 * CTCFL (Oxford): [http://www.ctcfl.ox.ac.uk/Lang%20work/Aspect%20notes.htm The use of the particle 了]
@@ Line 60: / Line 125: @@
 * ChinesePod: [http://chinesepod.com/lessons/the-double-%E4%BA%86-le-phenomenon Qing Wen - The Double 了 (le) phenomenon] (free podcast content)
 * ChinesePod: [http://chinesepod.com/lessons/the-glorious%E4%BA%86le-part-1 Qing Wen - The Glorious 了(le): Part 1] (free podcast content)
-* ChinesePod: [http://chinesepod.com/lessons/the-glorious-%E4%BA%86le-part-2 Qing Wen - The Glorious 了(le): Part 2] (free podcast content)\r\n=== Academic Research ===\r\n* Hooi Ling Soh and Meijia Gao, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities: [http://www.lingref.com/cpp/tls/2004/paper1510.pdf Perfective Aspect and Transition in Mandarin Chinese: An Analysis of Double –le Sentences] (PDF file)
+* ChinesePod: [http://chinesepod.com/lessons/the-glorious-%E4%BA%86le-part-2 Qing Wen - The Glorious 了(le): Part 2] (free podcast content)
+=== Academic Research ===
+* Hooi Ling Soh and Meijia Gao, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities: [http://www.lingref.com/cpp/tls/2004/paper1510.pdf Perfective Aspect and Transition in Mandarin Chinese: An Analysis of Double –le Sentences] (PDF file)
 * Marita Ljungqvist Ari, Lund University: [http://lup.lub.lu.se/luur/download?func=downloadFile&recordOId=21150&fileOId=912857 Aspect, tense and mood: Context dependency and the marker le in Mandarin Chinese] (PDF file)
-* Limin Jin and Henriëtte Hendriks, Research Centre for English and Applied Linguistics: [http://www.rceal.cam.ac.uk/Publications/Working/Vol9/Jin.pdf The development of aspect marking in L1 and L2 Chines] (PDF file)\r\n[[Category:Structures]]
+* Limin Jin and Henriëtte Hendriks, Research Centre for English and Applied Linguistics: [http://www.rceal.cam.ac.uk/Publications/Working/Vol9/Jin.pdf The development of aspect marking in L1 and L2 Chines] (PDF file)
+[[Category:Structures]]
 [[Category:Particles]]