Expressing "stop doing" with "bie… le"

You may know how to make negative commands with "bie," but what if someone is already doing it? The pattern 别⋯⋯了 (bié... le) is all you need to tell someone to STOP DOING THAT (which they're already doing).

Structure

别 + Verb / [Verb Phrase] + 了

Instead of just a verb, it can also be a verb phrase.

Examples

• 别 说 了 ， 我 不 想 听 。Bié shuō le, wǒ bù xiǎng tīng.Stop talking. I don't want to listen.
• 别 问 了， 我 不 想 说 。Bié wèn le, wǒ bù xiǎng shuō.Stop asking. I don't want to say.
• 别 做 了 ，明天 再 做 吧 。Bié zuò le, míngtiān zài zuò ba.Stop doing it. Do it tomorrow.
• 别 看 了，睡觉 ！Bié kàn le, shuìjiào! Stop watching. Go to sleep!
• 别 哭 了 ！Bié kū le!Stop crying!
• 别 笑 了 ，别人 都 在 看 你 。Bié xiào le, biérén dōu zài kàn nǐ.Stop laughing. Other people are looking at you.
• 别 吃 了 ，我们 要 迟到 了。Bié chī le, wǒmen yào chídào le.Stop eating. We're going to be late.
• 别 玩 了 ，去 写 作业 。Bié wán le, qù xiě zuòyè.Stop playing. Do your homework.
• 别 买 了 ，太 贵 了 ！In this case, the person probably isn't actually paying, but they're about to.Bié mǎi le, tài guì le! Don't buy it. It's too expensive!
• 别 喝 了 ，你 已经 喝 了 五 杯 了。Bié hē le, nǐ yǐjīng hē le wǔ bēi le.Stop drinking. You've already drunk five glasses.

See also

• Negative commands with "bie"

Sources and further reading

Books

• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 83) [ →buy]

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (p. 92) →buy