Difference between revisions of "Change of state with "le""
 
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{{AKA|了2|change-of-state 了|sentence 了|modal 了}}
 
{{AKA|了2|change-of-state 了|sentence 了|modal 了}}
  
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了 (le) has a lot of uses.  You probably first learned 了 as a [[particle]] that tells you an action is completed, which is also known as [[Expressing completion with "le"|了1]]. This article is not about that use of 了; it's about indicating a ''change of state'' ([[了2]]).  In other words, there is now a new situation, or there is about to be a new situation.  This whole "change of state" idea can take numerous forms, so it's helpful to view them individually, alongside some English translations.
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了 (le) has many uses.  You probably first learned 了 (le) as a [[particle]] that tells you [[expressing completion with "le"|an action is completed]], which is also known as "了1." However, this article is not about that use of 了 (le); instead, it is about indicating a ''change of state'' (了2).  In other words, there is now a new situation, or there is about to be a new situation.  This whole "change of state" idea can take numerous forms, and this page includes some helpful examples.
  
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== Structure ==
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== Used with Adjectives ==
  
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When used in this way, 了(le) is placed at the end of the sentence to mark that the whole statement describes a new situation.
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When an [[adjective]] indicates a change to the subject, 了 (le) is placed at the end of the sentence to indicate a change of state.
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=== Structure ===
 +
 
 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subj. + Adj. + 了
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
=== Examples ===
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
 
 +
*我 饿 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ è <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm hungry.</span>
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*孩子们 都 累 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Háizi men dōu lèi <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">The kids are all tired.</span>
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*妈妈 老 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">We aren't used to thinking of her as old, but she is now.</span><span class="pinyin">Māma lǎo <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">Mom has gotten old.</span>
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*你 胖 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">You used to not be fat.</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ pàng <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">You've gotten fat.</span>
 +
*你 是不是 生气 <em>了</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shì bu shì shēngqì <em>le</em>?</span><span class="trans">Are you mad?</span>
 +
 
 +
</div>
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 +
== Used with Verbs ==
 +
 
 +
When following a verb or verb phrase, the 了 (le) indicates a change in an overall situation. For these sentences, sometimes you can translate this 了 (le) as "now."
 +
 
 +
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subj. + Verb + 了
 +
</div>
 +
 +
=== Examples ===
 +
 +
<div class="liju">
  
−
[New Situation] + 了
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*下雨 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">It wasn't raining, but now it is.</span><span class="pinyin">Xià yǔ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">It's raining.</span>
 +
*宝宝 会 说话 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">He couldn't before.</span><span class="pinyin">Bǎobao huì shuōhuà <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">The baby can speak now.</span>
 +
*他 当 经理 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">He wasn't a manager before.</span><span class="pinyin">Tā dāng jīnglǐ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He became a manager.</span>
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*你 有 女朋友 <em>了</em> ？<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">He didn't have one before.</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ yǒu nǚpéngyou <em>le</em>?</span><span class="trans">You have a girlfriend now?</span>
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*我 男朋友 找到 新 工作 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">A big change for sure.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ nánpéngyou zhǎodào xīn gōngzuò <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">My boyfriend has found a new job.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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== Examples ==
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== Change of Situation in the Negative ==
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 +
When you take the same "change of situation" pattern and put a 不 (bù) before the verb, you're indicating that something already decided has changed. What had once been green-lit is now getting a red light. What was once "on" is now "off." The "change of situation" indicated by 了 (le) is still the same, although the change is often simply mental: it's a change of plans, or a change of intent.
 +
 
 +
=== Structure ===
 +
 
 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subj. + 不 + Verb + 了
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</div>
  
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Some examples:
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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* 我 会 说 中文 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">(I couldn't before)</span><span class="trans">I can speak Chinese now.</span>
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*我 <strong>不</strong> 买 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">I had previously decided to buy it.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>bù</strong> mǎi <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm not buying it now.</span>
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* 我 有 女朋友 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">(I didn't have one before)</span><span class="trans">I have a girlfriend now.</span>
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*我 <strong>不</strong> 回家 吃 晚饭 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">I had previously decided to go home for dinner.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>bù</strong> huí jiā chī wǎnfàn <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm not going to go home for dinner tonight.</span>
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* 我 想 妈妈 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="expl">(I didn't before now)</span><span class="trans">I miss my mom now.</span>
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*我 <strong>不</strong> 去 看电影 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">I had said I was going.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>bù</strong> qù kàn diànyǐng <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I decided not to go to the movies.</span>
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* 我 25 岁 <em>了</em>。 <span class="trans">I'm 25 years old now.</span>
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*我 <strong>不</strong> 结婚 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">I had previously planned to get married.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>bù</strong> jiéhūn <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm not getting married.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
 +
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This pattern is somewhat similar to [[Expressing "not anymore" with "le"|expressing "not anymore" with "le"]].
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 +
== Too General? ==
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 +
The whole "change of state" concept might seem very general, and it is. It's vague, and it also takes some getting used to. You should expect it to take a while to get used to this use of 了 (le).
 +
 +
Because it's a little vague and confusing, most learners find it useful to break this "change of state" 了 (le) down into more specific usages, such as using it to mean [[Expressing "now" with "le"|"now"]], [[Expressing "already" with just "le"|"already"]], or [[Expressing "not anymore" with "le"|"not anymore"]]. Although these are all "flavors" of the "change of state" 了 (le), identifying them as specific cases can make it much easier to get used to using 了 (le) in this way.
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
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* [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (pp. 68) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899 →buy]
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 3|40}}
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* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 126-9) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
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{{Source|Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar|68}}
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* [[Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar]] (pp. 238-99) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520066103?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0520066103 →buy]
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{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|126-9}}
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* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 217-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297 →buy]
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{{Source|Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar|238-99}}
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* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)]] (pp. 64-5) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=756191251X →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)|217-8}}
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* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (p. 8) [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]
+
{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)|64-5}}
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*[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）]] (p. 239)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy]
+
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)|8}}
−
 
+
{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）|239}}
−
=== Websites ===
 
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* East Asia Student: [http://eastasiastudent.net/2630/china/mandarin/cmn-grammar/four-kinds-le/ 了 grammar: four kinds of 了 in Mandarin]
 
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* Chinesegrammar.info: [http://chinesegrammar.info/particles/le-grammar-summary/ Chinese le grammar summary (了)]
 
  
 
[[Category: A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category: A2 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK3}}
 
{{Rel char|了}}
 
{{Rel char|了}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing result}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing result}}
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{{Used for|Indicating conditions}}
 
{{Used for|Indicating conditions}}
 
{{Similar|Uses of "le"}}
 
{{Similar|Uses of "le"}}
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{{Basic Grammar|了|A2|……了|我 25 岁 <em>了</em>。|grammar point|ASGT185D}}
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{{Basic Grammar|了|A2|⋯⋯了|我 25 岁 <em>了</em>。|grammar point|ASGT185D}}
 
{{POS|Particles}}
 
{{POS|Particles}}

Latest revision as of 04:08, 12 March 2019

Chinese-grammar-wiki-le.jpg
Also known as: 了2, change-of-state 了, sentence 了 and modal 了.

了 (le) has many uses. You probably first learned 了 (le) as a particle that tells you an action is completed, which is also known as "了1." However, this article is not about that use of 了 (le); instead, it is about indicating a change of state (了2). In other words, there is now a new situation, or there is about to be a new situation. This whole "change of state" idea can take numerous forms, and this page includes some helpful examples.

Used with Adjectives

When an adjective indicates a change to the subject, 了 (le) is placed at the end of the sentence to indicate a change of state.

Structure

Subj. + Adj. + 了

Examples

  • 我 饿 了 。Wǒ è le.I'm hungry.
  • 孩子们 都 累 了 。Háizi men dōu lèi le.The kids are all tired.
  • 妈妈 老 了 。We aren't used to thinking of her as old, but she is now.Māma lǎo le.Mom has gotten old.
  • 你 胖 了 。You used to not be fat.Nǐ pàng le.You've gotten fat.
  • 你 是不是 生气 了 ？Nǐ shì bu shì shēngqì le?Are you mad?

Used with Verbs

When following a verb or verb phrase, the 了 (le) indicates a change in an overall situation. For these sentences, sometimes you can translate this 了 (le) as "now."

Structure

Subj. + Verb + 了

Examples

  • 下雨 了 。It wasn't raining, but now it is.Xià yǔ le.It's raining.
  • 宝宝 会 说话 了 。He couldn't before.Bǎobao huì shuōhuà le.The baby can speak now.
  • 他 当 经理 了 。He wasn't a manager before.Tā dāng jīnglǐ le.He became a manager.
  • 你 有 女朋友 了 ？He didn't have one before.Nǐ yǒu nǚpéngyou le?You have a girlfriend now?
  • 我 男朋友 找到 新 工作 了 。A big change for sure.Wǒ nánpéngyou zhǎodào xīn gōngzuò le.My boyfriend has found a new job.

Change of Situation in the Negative

When you take the same "change of situation" pattern and put a 不 (bù) before the verb, you're indicating that something already decided has changed. What had once been green-lit is now getting a red light. What was once "on" is now "off." The "change of situation" indicated by 了 (le) is still the same, although the change is often simply mental: it's a change of plans, or a change of intent.

Structure

Subj. + 不 + Verb + 了

Examples

  • 我 不 买 了 。I had previously decided to buy it.Wǒ bù mǎi le.I'm not buying it now.
  • 我 不 回家 吃 晚饭 了 。I had previously decided to go home for dinner.Wǒ bù huí jiā chī wǎnfàn le.I'm not going to go home for dinner tonight.
  • 我 不 去 看电影 了 。I had said I was going.Wǒ bù qù kàn diànyǐng le.I decided not to go to the movies.
  • 我 不 结婚 了 。I had previously planned to get married.Wǒ bù jiéhūn le.I'm not getting married.

This pattern is somewhat similar to expressing "not anymore" with "le".

Too General?

The whole "change of state" concept might seem very general, and it is. It's vague, and it also takes some getting used to. You should expect it to take a while to get used to this use of 了 (le).

Because it's a little vague and confusing, most learners find it useful to break this "change of state" 了 (le) down into more specific usages, such as using it to mean "now", "already", or "not anymore". Although these are all "flavors" of the "change of state" 了 (le), identifying them as specific cases can make it much easier to get used to using 了 (le) in this way.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

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