Placement of "le" with objects

(training summary)

"了"有两个，这里我们主要讨论的是“了1”的用法。“了1”用在动词后主要表示动作或者状态的完成、实现，可以独立成句。

The aspectual particle 了 (one of two kinds of 了, AKA "了1" or the "completed action 了"), when placed after a verb, indicates that an action has been completed. What we want to discuss in this article is the use of this 了 when an object is involved.

了 directly followed by an object

Structure

V.+了+O.

Examples

• 他今天去见 了朋友。He went to see friends today.
• 我 刚 吃了早饭。I just had breakfast.
• 妈妈 找 到 了新 工作。Mom found a new job.
• 你 买了iPhone！You bought an iPhone！
• 昨天 我 给 你 打了电话。I called you yesterday.

注：动词后的宾语如果只是一个简单的宾语，句子不能自足，语气也不完整。宾语一般都要有说明性成分，如数量短语、形容词、限定性短语或者句中有说明时间、地点、原因及方式的状语成分。

如果句末再加一个“了”，则表示加强肯定语气，这时宾语因为是特指的，所以可能就是非常简单的。

If the object placed after the verb is very simple, it is typical to have something modifying the object, such as a number and measure word, an adjective, or 限定性短语, or the sentence should specify a time, place, reason, or method for the action. (If this paragraph gets included, it probably should go somewhere below)

If there is another 了 placed at the end of the sentence, it can add a stronger emphasis that the action was completed, in the same way we might say we "did finish the work" instead of just saying we "finished the work".

Examples

• 我 做 了 作业 了， 你 要 看 吗？I did finish my homework. Do you want to see it?
• 我们 来 这儿 以前 吃 了 饭 了。We did have our dinner before we came here .
• 他 问了 经理 了， 经理 说 行。He did ask the manager, and he said yes.

当宾语前面有数量短语修饰时，“了”一般都在紧跟在动词后面。既表示动作的完成，又表示事态有所变化。此时的宾语其实是特指的对象。

Object with a number and measure word

When the object is preceded by a number and measure word, the 了 is usually placed directly after the verb. It indicates the completion of the action, and shows that the object directly following it is receiving the action of the verb.

Structure

V.+了+数量短语（名量）+O.

Examples

• 我 买 了 五 本 他的书。I bought five of his books.
• 他们 昨天 看了 两 场 电影。 They went to see two movies yesterday .
• 他 午饭 花 了 两千多块。He spent more than two thousand kuai on his lunch.
• 你 请 了 几 个 朋友？How many friends have you invited?
• 老师 问 了 五 个 问题 .The teacher asked five questions.

如果在句末再加一个“了”则有两层含义：一是强调或暗示数量多；二是表示“还有可能继续”。第一个“了”常常

If another 了 is added at the end of the sentence, it indicates two things. One is to emphasize or imply that the number in front of the object is already a big number, and the other is to indicate that this number could continue to grow.

• 我 给 他 打了 十 几 个 电话了 。I've made more than ten phone calls to him.
• 他 帮了 几 十 个 农村 的 孩子 了。 He's helped a few dozen poor kids from the rural area.
• 我 哥哥 换 了 三 个 女朋友 了。 My elder brother has had three girlfriends.

如果宾语前既有数量短语限定，也有一般性形容词做修饰成分，则不太适用于这种情况。

• 我 买 了 五本 有意思的 书 了 。I‘ve bought five interesting books.

动宾结构的动词作谓语时，需注意。如“结婚”，“结婚了”表示动作或者状态的完成；“结了婚”表示句子还没说完，还有后续的分句补充。

• 我已经下班了。I‘m off work now.
• 我下了班就去见你。I‘ll see you as soon as I get off work.
• 他 去年 离婚了 。He got a divorce last year.
• 他 去年 离 了 婚 以后 又 找 了 一个 女人。After the divorce last year,he found another woman.

在一连串的事件中，“了”的位置起到标志主要事件的作用。

• 他 上周 帮我 搬了家 。He helped .
• 老板 请 我 吃了 一顿 大餐。My boss invited me to a big dinner.