Difference between revisions of "Change of state with "le""
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了 (le) has many uses. You probably first learned 了 (le) as a [[particle]] that tells you [[expressing completion with "le"|an action is completed]], which is also known as "了1." However, this article is not about that use of 了 (le); instead, it is about indicating a ''change of state'' (了2). In other words, there is now a new situation, or there is about to be a new situation. This whole "change of state" idea can take numerous forms, and this page includes some helpful examples. | 了 (le) has many uses. You probably first learned 了 (le) as a [[particle]] that tells you [[expressing completion with "le"|an action is completed]], which is also known as "了1." However, this article is not about that use of 了 (le); instead, it is about indicating a ''change of state'' (了2). In other words, there is now a new situation, or there is about to be a new situation. This whole "change of state" idea can take numerous forms, and this page includes some helpful examples. | ||
| − | == Structure == | + | == Used with Adjectives == |
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
When used in this way, 了 (le) is placed at the end of the sentence to indicate a new situation. | When used in this way, 了 (le) is placed at the end of the sentence to indicate a new situation. | ||
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | + | Subj. + Adj. + 了 | |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | == Examples == | + | === Examples === |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * | + | *我 饿 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ è <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm hungry.</span> |
| + | *孩子们 都 累 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Háizi men dōu lèi <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">The kids are all tired.</span> | ||
*妈妈 老 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">We aren't used to thinking of her as old, but she is now.</span><span class="pinyin">Māma lǎo <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">Mom is old.</span> | *妈妈 老 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">We aren't used to thinking of her as old, but she is now.</span><span class="pinyin">Māma lǎo <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">Mom is old.</span> | ||
*你 胖 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">You used to not be fat.</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ pàng <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">You've gotten fat.</span> | *你 胖 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">You used to not be fat.</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ pàng <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">You've gotten fat.</span> | ||
| − | * | + | *你 是不是 生气 <em>了</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shì bù shì shēngqì <em>le</em>?</span><span class="trans">Are you mad or not?</span> |
| − | + | ||
| − | * | + | </div> |
| + | |||
| + | === Examples === | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | *下雨 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">It wasn't raining, but now it is.</span><span class="pinyin">Xià yǔ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">It's raining.</span> | ||
*宝宝 会 说话 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">He couldn't before.</span><span class="pinyin">Bǎobao huì shuōhuà <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">The baby can speak.</span> | *宝宝 会 说话 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">He couldn't before.</span><span class="pinyin">Bǎobao huì shuōhuà <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">The baby can speak.</span> | ||
| − | * | + | *你 有 女朋友 <em>了</em> ？<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">He didn't have one before.</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ yǒu nǚpéngyou <em>le</em>?</span><span class="trans">Do you have a girlfriend?</span> |
*我 男朋友 找到 新 工作 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">A big change for sure.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ nánpéngyou zhǎodào xīn gōngzuò <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">My boyfriend found a new job.</span> | *我 男朋友 找到 新 工作 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">A big change for sure.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ nánpéngyou zhǎodào xīn gōngzuò <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">My boyfriend found a new job.</span> | ||
| − | * | + | *手机 没 电 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">It was working fine until now.</span><span class="pinyin">Shǒujī méi diàn <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">The cell phone ran out of power.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 09:50, 20 April 2018
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
- Also known as: 了2, change-of-state 了, sentence 了 and modal 了.
了 (le) has many uses. You probably first learned 了 (le) as a particle that tells you an action is completed, which is also known as "了1." However, this article is not about that use of 了 (le); instead, it is about indicating a change of state (了2). In other words, there is now a new situation, or there is about to be a new situation. This whole "change of state" idea can take numerous forms, and this page includes some helpful examples.
Contents
Used with Adjectives
Structure
When used in this way, 了 (le) is placed at the end of the sentence to indicate a new situation.
Subj. + Adj. + 了
Examples
- 我 饿 了 。I'm hungry.
- 孩子们 都 累 了 。The kids are all tired.
- 妈妈 老 了 。We aren't used to thinking of her as old, but she is now.Mom is old.
- 你 胖 了 。You used to not be fat.You've gotten fat.
- 你 是不是 生气 了 ？Are you mad or not?
Examples
- 下雨 了 。It wasn't raining, but now it is.It's raining.
- 宝宝 会 说话 了 。He couldn't before.The baby can speak.
- 你 有 女朋友 了 ？He didn't have one before.Do you have a girlfriend?
- 我 男朋友 找到 新 工作 了 。A big change for sure.My boyfriend found a new job.
- 手机 没 电 了 。It was working fine until now.The cell phone ran out of power.
Too General?
The whole "change of state" concept might seem very general, and it is. It's vague, and it also takes some getting used to. You should expect it to take a while to get used to this use of 了 (le).
Because it's a little vague and confusing, most learners find it useful to break this "change of state" 了 (le) down into more specific usages, such as using it to mean "now", "already", or "not anymore". Although these are all "flavors" of the "change of state" 了 (le), identifying them as specific cases can make it much easier to get used to using 了 (le) in this way.
See also
- Expressing "now" with "le"
- Expressing "already" with "le"
- Expressing "not anymore" with "le"
- Uses of "le"
Sources and further reading
Books
- Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 68) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 126-9) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar (pp. 238-99) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 217-8) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 64-5) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 8) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）|239)→buy
Websites
- Chinesegrammar.info: Chinese le grammar summary (了)
