Difference between revisions of "Uses of "le""
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| − | 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. | + | 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" |
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| − | == Beginner (A1) Uses of 了 == | ||
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! Grammar Point (English) !! Pattern !! Examples!! 了 Type | ! Grammar Point (English) !! Pattern !! Examples!! 了 Type | ||
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|[[ASG8HVFN|Expressing "excessively" with "tai"]] || 太 + Adj + 了 || <span class="liju"><em>太</em> 好 <em>了</em> ! </span> || 了2 | |[[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" |
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| − | == Elementary (A2) Uses of 了 == | ||
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! Grammar Point (English) !! Pattern !! Examples!! 了 Type | ! Grammar Point (English) !! Pattern !! Examples!! 了 Type | ||
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|[[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 | |[[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 | ||
| − | |- | + | |-\r\n|}\r\n== Intermediate (B1) Uses of 了 ==\r\n{| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left" |
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| − | == Intermediate (B1) Uses of 了 == | ||
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| − | {| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left" | ||
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! Grammar Point (English) !! Pattern !! Examples!! 了 Type | ! Grammar Point (English) !! Pattern !! Examples!! 了 Type | ||
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|[[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 | |[[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 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | |} | + | |}\r\n== Upper Intermediate (B2) Uses of 了 ==\r\n{| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left" |
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| − | == Upper Intermediate (B2) Uses of 了 == | ||
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| − | {| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left" | ||
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! Grammar Point (English) !! Pattern !! Examples!! 了 Type | ! Grammar Point (English) !! Pattern !! Examples!! 了 Type | ||
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|[[Sentence-Final "le 1+2"]] || ……了 || <span class="liju">我 明白 你 为什么 走 <em>了</em> 。</span> || 了1, 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 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | |} | + | |}\r\n |
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==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
* [[Expressing experiences with "guo"]] | * [[Expressing experiences with "guo"]] | ||
| − | * [[Using "guo" with "le"]] | + | * [[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] |
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| − | == Sources and further reading == | ||
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| − | === 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] | * [[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] | * [[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] | ||
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* [[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 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 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] | + | * [[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] |
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| − | === 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] | * 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] | * CTCFL (Oxford): [http://www.ctcfl.ox.ac.uk/Lang%20work/Aspect%20notes.htm The use of the particle 了] | ||
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* 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-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-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) | + | * 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) |
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| − | === 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) | * 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) | + | * 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]] |
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| − | [[Category:Structures]] | ||
[[Category:Particles]] | [[Category:Particles]] | ||
Revision as of 06:22, 26 November 2013
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.\r\n== Beginner (A1) Uses of 了 ==\r\n{| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left" |- ! Grammar Point (English) !! Pattern !! Examples!! 了 Type |- |Expressing "excessively" with "tai" || 太 + Adj + 了 || 太 好 了 ! || 了2 |- |}\r\n== Elementary (A2) Uses of 了 ==\r\n{| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left" |- ! Grammar Point (English) !! Pattern !! Examples!! 了 Type |- |Expressing completion with "le" || V + 了 || 她 去 了 北京。 || 了1 |- |Questions with "le ma" || V + 了 + 吗？ || 北京 去 了 吗？ || 了1 |- |Making adjectives extreme with "zui" || 最 + Adj (+ 了) || 这 种 啤酒 最 好 了。 || 了2 |- |Expressing duration || Verb + 了 + [Duration] || 他 在 北京 住 了 两 年。 || 了2 |- |Expressing duration of inaction || [Duration] + 没 + [Verb Phrase] ) (+ 了) || 他 已经 三 天 没 洗澡 了。 || 了2 |-\r\n|}\r\n== Intermediate (B1) Uses of 了 ==\r\n{| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left" |- ! Grammar Point (English) !! Pattern !! Examples!! 了 Type |- |Making negative adjectives extreme with "-si le" || Adj + 死了 || 那 个 孩子 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 || N1 + 比 + N2 + Adj + 多了 || 我 比 你 高 多 了。 || 了2 |- |Expressing change of state with "le" || ……了 || 今天 我 25 岁 了。你的 衣服 脏 了。 || 了2 |- |}\r\n== Upper Intermediate (B2) Uses of 了 ==\r\n{| class="wikitable" style="width:50em; text-align:left" |- ! 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 |- |Sentence-Final "le 1+2" || ……了 || 我 明白 你 为什么 走 了 。 || 了1, 2 |- |}\r\n
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) →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\r\n=== Websites ===\r\n* 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)\r\n=== Academic Research ===\r\n* 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)\r\n
