Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not anymore" with "le""

Revision as of 07:40, 20 February 2014

In a negative sentence, the sentence-final 了 (le) can taken on the meaning of "(not) anymore" or "no longer." The word 已经 (yǐjīng), which means "already," may nor may not accompany it.

Structure

(已经) + [Verb phrase] + 了

Examples

没有纸了。(in other words, "we're out of paper")There's no paper anymore.
我不能喝酒了。(there's some new reason why I can't drink now)I can't drink anymore.
你不喜欢我了？ You don't like me anymore?
我已经不爱你了。I don't love you anymore.
我没有钱了。I don't have money anymore. / I'm not rich anymore.
没有酒了。We're out of booze.
我没有工作了。I don't have a job anymore.
不想去了。I don't want to go anymore.

Sources and further reading

Books

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

Websites

Chinesegrammar.info: Chinese le grammar summary (了)

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-== Expressing "Not Anymore" ==
+In a negative sentence, the [[modal particle "le"|sentence-final 了]] (le) can taken on the meaning of "(not) anymore" or "no longer."  The word [[已经]] (yǐjīng), which means "already," may nor may not accompany it.
-In a negative sentence, the sentence-final 了 can taken on the meaning of "(not) anymore" or "no longer."
+== Structure ==
+<div class="jiegou">
+(已经) + [Verb phrase] + 了
+</div>
+== Examples ==
 <div class="liju">
-* 没 有 纸 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl">"There's no paper anymore." (in other words, "we're out of paper")</span>
+* 没 有 纸 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl">(in other words, "we're out of paper")</span><span class="trans">There's no paper anymore.</span>
-* 他 不 会 再 去见她<em>了</em>。<span class="expl">"He is not going to see her anymore." (but he did before)</span>
+* 我 不 能 喝酒 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl">(there's some new reason why I can't drink now)</span><span class="trans">I can't drink anymore.</span>
-* 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="trans">You don't like me anymore?</span>
-* 你 不 喜 欢 我 <em>了</em>？<span class="expl">"You don't like me anymore?"</span>
+* 我 已经 不 爱 你 <em>了</em>。<span class="trans">I don't love you anymore.</span>
-* 我 已经 不 爱 你 <em>了</em>。
+* 我 没 有 钱<em>了</em>。<span class="trans">I don't have money anymore. / I'm not rich anymore.</span>
-* 我 没 有 钱<em>了</em>。
+* 没 有 酒 <em>了</em>。<span class="trans">We're out of booze.</span>
-* 没 有 酒 <em>了</em>。
+* 我 没 有 工作 <em>了</em>。<span class="trans">I don't have a job anymore.</span>
-* 我 没 有 工作 <em>了</em>。
+* 不 想 去 <em>了</em>。<span class="trans">I don't want to go anymore.</span>
-* 不 想 去 <em>了</em>。
-* 不 要 再 生气 <em>了</em>。
 </div>
+== See also ==
+* [[Uses of "le"]]
+== Sources and further reading ==
+=== Books ===
+* [[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]
+* [[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]
+* [[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]
+* [[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]
+* [[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]
+* [[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]
+*[[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]
+=== Websites ===
+* Chinesegrammar.info: [http://chinesegrammar.info/particles/le-grammar-summary/ Chinese le grammar summary (了)]
+{{Basic Grammar|了|A2|……了|* 不 想 去 <em>了</em>。|grammar point|NEEDCODE}}
+[[Category: A2 grammar points]]
+{{Used for|Referring to changes of situation}}
+{{Similar|Uses of "le"}}
+{{POS|Particles}}