Difference between revisions of "Change of state with "le""

Latest revision as of 04:08, 12 March 2019

Level

A2 / HSK3
Level

A2
Level

HSK3
Similar to
Similar to
Used for

Indicating conditions, Expressing result, Referring to changes of situation
Keywords

了

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.

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK Standard Course 3 (pp. 40) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 68) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 126-9) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar (pp. 238-99) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 217-8) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 64-5) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 8) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (pp. 239) [ →buy]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{AKA|sentence 了|modal 了}}
+{{Grammar Box}}
-了 (le) has a lot of uses.  You probably first learned 了 as a particle that tells you an action is completed.  It's also known as [[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.
+{{AKA|了2|change-of-state 了|sentence 了|modal 了}}
-== General Change of State ==
+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.
-When used in this way, 了 is placed at the end of the sentence to mark that the whole statement describes a new situation.
+== Used with Adjectives ==
-Some examples:
+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 ===
+<div class="jiegou">
+Subj. + Adj. + 了
+</div>
+=== Examples ===
 <div class="liju">
-* 他 会 开车 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">"He can ''now'' drive." (he couldn't before)</span>
+*我 饿 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ è <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm hungry.</span>
-* 我 有 女朋友 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">"I have a girlfriend now." (I didn't have one before)</span>
+*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>
-* 情况 跟 以前 不 一样 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="expl">"The situation isn't the same as before." (obviously, it's a change of situation!)</span>
+*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>
+*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>
-== Expressing "Now" ==
+== Used with Verbs ==
-The word "now" doesn't always need to be translated as 现在.  You'll notice that in many common expressions, 了 is used in place of the explicit word for "now."
+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."
-<div class="liju">
+=== Structure ===
-* 吃饭 <em>了</em>！ <span class="expl">"Time to eat!"</span>
-* 我 来 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">"I'm coming over now. / I'm on the way"</span>
-* 我 知道 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">"I get it now. / I see now. / Now I know. (I didn't before)"</span>
+<div class="jiegou">
+Subj. + Verb + 了
 </div>
-== Expressing "Already" ==
+=== Examples ===
-You can expect to see the word 已经 (meaning "already") in these sentences, which frequently pairs up with 了, but note that sometimes that feeling of "already" can also be expressed with 了 alone.
 <div class="liju">
-* 我 已经 告诉 他 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">"I already told him."</span>
+*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>
-* 我 吃 过 饭 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="expl">"I've (already) eaten."</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>
-* 你 早就 知道 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">"I knew (that) a long time ago."</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>
+*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>
+*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>
-== Expressing "Not Anymore" ==
+== Change of Situation in the Negative ==
-In a negative sentence, the sentence-final 了 can taken on the meaning of "(not) anymore" or "no longer."
-<div class="liju">
+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.
-* 他 不会 开车 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl">"He doesn't know how to drive anymore." (but he could before)</span>
+=== Structure ===
-* 我 不能 喝酒 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl">"I can't drink ''anymore''."</span>
-* 你 不喜 欢 我 <em>了</em>？<span class="expl">"You don't like me anymore?"</span>
+<div class="jiegou">
+Subj. + 不 + Verb + 了
 </div>
-== Telling Someone to "Stop" Doing Something ==
+=== Examples ===
-If someone is doing something and you want them to stop, you're actually demanding a change of state.  So you put the 了 in the command to indicate that desired change of state (even though it hasn't actually happened, and the person given the command may or may not cooperate).
 <div class="liju">
-* 你 不要 去 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">"Don't go." (I hope you'll change your mind.)</span>
+*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>
-* 别 烦 她 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">"Stop pestering her."</span>
+*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>
-* 别 问 我 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">"Stop asking me."</span>
+*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>
+*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>
-== Expressing "has become..." ==
+This pattern is somewhat similar to [[Expressing "not anymore" with "le"|expressing "not anymore" with "le"]].
-Especially for adjectives, you can often skip special verbs altogether and just use 了 to indicate that something has changed in quality.
+== Too General? ==
-<div class="liju">
+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).
-* 他 的 衣服 脏 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl">"His clothes have gotten dirty."</span>
+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.
-* 我 胖 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl">"I've gotten fat(ter)."</span>
-* 你 现在 是 老师 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl">"You're a teacher now." (but you weren't before)</span>
-</div>
 == See also ==
-* [[Uses of le]]
+* [[Expressing "now" with "le"]]
+* [[Expressing "already" with "le"]]
+* [[Expressing "not anymore" with "le"]]
+* [[Uses of "le"]]
 == Sources and further reading ==
@@ Line 85: / Line 89: @@
 === Books ===
-* [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520066103?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0520066103 Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar] (pp. 238 - 299)
+{{Source|HSK Standard Course 3|40}}
-* [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 Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar →buy] (pp. 68)
+{{Source|Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar|68}}
+{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|126-9}}
-=== Websites ===
+{{Source|Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar|238-99}}
+{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)|217-8}}
+{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)|64-5}}
+{{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}}
-* East Asia Student: [http://eastasiastudent.net/2630/china/mandarin/cmn-grammar/four-kinds-le/ 了 grammar: four kinds of 了 in Mandarin]
+[[Category: A2 grammar points]]
+{{HSK|HSK3}}
+{{Rel char|了}}
+{{Used for|Expressing result}}
+{{Used for|Referring to changes of situation}}
+{{Used for|Indicating conditions}}
+{{Similar|Uses of "le"}}
+{{Basic Grammar|了|A2|⋯⋯了|我 25 岁 <em>了</em>。|grammar point|ASGT185D}}
+{{POS|Particles}}

Difference between revisions of "Change of state with "le""

Latest revision as of 04:08, 12 March 2019

Contents

Used with Adjectives

Structure

Examples

Used with Verbs

Structure

Examples

Change of Situation in the Negative

Structure

Examples

Too General?

See also

Sources and further reading

Books