Difference between revisions of "Learning to use "le""

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Revision as of 10:03, 2 January 2018

Everyone thinks at first that 了 (le) is best learned as a series of hard and fast rules, similar to how you know what tense to use in Spanish. In reality, though, it's much easier to use 了 as a group of patterns. If you learn all of these patterns progressively, you will naturally start to get a feel for 了.

Expressing Completion

Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Expressing completion with "le" Subj. + Verb + 了 + Obj. 我 吃 两 个 苹果。
Result complement "-wan" for finishing Verb + 完 (+ 了) 我 说 了。
Expressing "already" with just "le" Subj. + Verb Phrase + 了 你 应该 问 老师 。我 问
Questions with "le ma" Verb + 了 + 吗? 你 吃饭 了 吗

Common Patterns

Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Expressing "excessively" with "tai" 太 + Adj. + 了  !
Negative adjectives with "-si le" Adj. + 死了 我 今天 累 死了
Expressing ongoing duration with double "le" Verb + 了 + Duration + 了 他 在 北京 住 了 两 年 了
Expressing "stop doing" with "bie… le" 别 + Verb + 了 ,烦 死了 。
Expressing "much more" in comparisons Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + Adj. + 多了 拼音 汉字 容易 多了
Superlative "zui" 最 + Adj. (+ 了) 有钱 ?
Expressing "finally" with "zhongyu" Subj. + 终于 + Predicate + 了 终于
Adjectives with "-ji le" Adj. + 极了 这个 主意 好 极了
Expressing duration of inaction Duration + 没 + Verb + 了 已经 一 个 星期 洗澡

Indicating Change of State

Grammar Point (English) Pattern Examples
Change of state with "le" ⋯⋯了 我 25 岁
Expressing duration with "le" Verb + 了 + Duration 他 在 北京 住 了 两 年
Expressing "already" with "yijing" 已经⋯⋯了 已经
Expressing "about to happen" with "le" 快 + Verb / Adj. + 了 下雨
Expressing "not anymore" with "le" 不 / 没(有) + Verb Phrase + 了 想 吃