Advanced "le" after an object
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You may have learned that 了 (le) follows immediately after a verb to indicate completion (AKA 了1), and comes at the end of a sentence when it indicates a "change of state" (AKA 了2). But what's the explanation for how it frequently follows not the verb, but the object after the verb? That's what this grammar point is about: bringing a bit more depth to your understanding of expressing completion with "le".
Contents
Two Possible Structures
Both of these basic structures are possible (and correct), even when 了 is only indicating completion.
Subj. + Verb + 了 + Obj.
Subj. + Verb + Obj. + 了
If it's a rather short and simple sentence, putting 了 directly after the verb, while not technically incorrect, can make the sentence feel incomplete. For example:
- 我 上 了 课 。 I took the class....
- 老师 问 了 问题。The teacher asked questions....
So what are the rules for when to put 了 directly after verb, and when to put it after the object? That is the point of this article.
了 After a Verb with an Object
Structure
Subj. + Verb + 了 + Obj.
When the following conditions are met, 了 is typically placed before the object, which completes the sentence and gives it a tone of completion.
Examples Specifying the Object
When the object has modifiers, such as an indication of quantity or an adjective, it's not weird to put 了 immediately after the verb.
- 他 买 了 一辆 车 。He bought a car.
- 妈妈 做 了 很 多 菜 。Mom made many dishes.
- 我们 吃 了 印度菜 。We ate Indian food.
- 她 穿 了 最 漂亮 的 裙子 。She wore the most beautiful dress.
Specifying the Time, Place, Purpose, etc.
When time, place, manner, or purpose are specified in a sentence, 了 can be used immediately after the verb to indicate completion.
- 我 昨天 看 了 电影 。I saw a movie yesterday.
- 我 和 同事 一起 吃 了 饭 。I had dinner together with my colleagues.
- 我们 在 动物园 和 熊猫 拍 了 照 。We took photos with pandas in the zoo.
- 他 女朋友 为了 他 辞 了 工作 。His girlfriend quit her job for him.
- 他们 顺利 地 到 了 南极 。They arrived at the South Pole without incident.
Used as An Answer to A Question
As part of a conversation, 了 can be used immediately after a verb as part of a simple answer. Within the context of the conversation, it is sufficient and not strange.
- A:你 带 电脑 了 吗?Did you bring your computer?
- B:我 带 了 电脑 。Yes, I brought it.
Completion in the Future
了 (le) can also indicate that one action is completed before another in the future, and this type of 了 is often placed directly after a verb with an object.
- 你 到 了 给 我 打 电话 。future actionAfter you have arrived, call me.
- 我 下 了 课 去 找 你 。future actionI will go find you after I get out of class.
- 她 想 毕 了 业 就 结婚 。future actionShe wants to get married after she graduates.
- 我 打算 生 了 孩子 就 回去 工作 。future actionI plan to go back to work after having the baby.
Do Not Need “了” to Indicate Completion of an Action or Situation 不需要“了”表完成的情况
Cannot use together with a psychological verb. 不能和“心理动词”连用。
Can be used together in the middle of a sentence with “以前”. 句中有“以前”连用。
“了” cannot be used together with “会” to indicate future completion of an action. “了”不能和“会”连用表示将来完成。
When a verb is just an attributive of an adverbial attributive of a specific or certain time, “了” is generally not added. 动词只是做某个时间状语的定语时,一般不加“了”。
我刚来了中国的时候,不会说中文。 我上大学了的时候,认识了我女朋友。
Putting 了 After Consecutive Actions
In a list of consecutive actions, the position of 了 serves to signal the purpose of the events. This is normally the final verb in the sequence.
- 他 坐 高铁 去 了 广州 。He took the high-speed train and went to Guangzhou.
- 我 的 一个 男 同事 帮 我 搬 了 家 。A male coworker helped me move.
- 老板 请 我们 吃 了 一 顿 大餐 。My boss invited me to eat a big dinner.
- 他 站起来 ,走过去 ,打 了 他 一下 。He stood up, walked over, and hit him.
Usage of Double 了
Emphasizing "big quantity"
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”。
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.
- 他们 生 了 四 个 孩子 了 。They've had four children already.
- 你 吃 了 五 个 包子 了 。You've eaten five baozi already.
- 她 一年 换 了 三 个 工作 了。She had three different jobs within one year.
Giving a tone of strong confirmation
如果句末再加一个“了”,表示加强肯定语气,因为语气充足,允许宾语极其简单。
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."
- 我 做 了 作业 了 ,你 要 检查 吗 ?I did finish my homework. Do you want to check it?
- 不用 给 我们 盛饭 ,我们 吃 了 饭 了 。You don't need to serve rice for us. We did eat.
- 他 问了 经理 了 ,经理 说 行 。He did ask the manager, and he said yes.