Difference between revisions of "Change of state with "le""

 
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{{Grammar Box}}
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{{AKA|了2|change-of-state 了|sentence 了|modal 了}}
 
{{AKA|了2|change-of-state 了|sentence 了|modal 了}}
  
了 (le) has a lot of uses.  You probably first learned 了 as a [[particle]] that tells you an action is completed, which is also known as [[了1]]. This article is not about that use of 了; it's 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, so it's helpful to view them individually, alongside some English translations.
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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.
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== Used with Adjectives ==
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When an [[adjective]] indicates a change to the subject, 了 (le) is placed at the end of the sentence to indicate a change of state.
  
== General Change of State ==
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=== Structure ===
  
When used in this way, is placed at the end of the sentence to mark that the whole statement describes a new situation.
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<div class="jiegou">
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Subj. + Adj. +
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</div>
  
Some examples:
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 他 会 开车 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">"He can drive now." (he couldn't before)</span>
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*我 饿 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ è <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm hungry.</span>
* 我 有 女朋友 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">"I have a girlfriend now." (I didn't have one before)</span>
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*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>
* 情况 跟 以前 不 一样 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="expl">"The situation isn't the same as before." (obviously, it's a change of situation!)</span>
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*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 has gotten old.</span>
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*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>
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*你 是不是 生气 <em>了</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shì bu shì shēngqì <em>le</em>?</span><span class="trans">Are you mad?</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Expressing "Now" ==
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== Used with Verbs ==
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When following a verb or verb phrase, the 了 (le) indicates a change in an overall situation. For these sentences, sometimes you can translate this 了 (le) as "now."
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=== Structure ===
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 +
<div class="jiegou">
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Subj. + Verb + 了
 +
</div>
  
The word "now" doesn't always need to be translated as 现在.  You'll notice that in many common expressions, 了 is used in place of the explicit word for "now."
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 吃饭 <em>了</em><span class="expl">"Time to eat!"</span>
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*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>
* 我 来 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">"I'm coming over now. / I'm on the way"</span>
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*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 now.</span>
* 我 知道 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">"I get it now. / I see now. / Now I know. (I didn't before)"</span>
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*他 当 经理 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">He wasn't a manager before.</span><span class="pinyin">Tā dāng jīnglǐ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He became a manager.</span>
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*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">You have a girlfriend now?</span>
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*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 has found a new job.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Expressing "Already" ==
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== Change of Situation in the Negative ==
 
 
You can expect to see the word 已经 (meaning "already") in these sentences, which frequently pairs up with 了, but note that sometimes that feeling of "already" can also be expressed with 了 alone.
 
  
<div class="liju">
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When you take the same "change of situation" pattern and put a 不 (bù) before the verb, you're indicating that something already decided has changed. What had once been green-lit is now getting a red light. What was once "on" is now "off." The "change of situation" indicated by 了 (le) is still the same, although the change is often simply mental: it's a change of plans, or a change of intent.
  
* 我 已经 告诉 他 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">"I already told him."</span>
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=== Structure ===
* 我 吃 过 饭 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="expl">"I've (already) eaten."</span>
 
* 你 早就 知道 <em>了</em>。 <span class="expl">"I knew (that) a long time ago."</span>
 
  
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<div class="jiegou">
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Subj. + 不 + Verb + 了
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Expressing "Not Anymore" ==
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=== Examples ===
 
 
In a negative sentence, the sentence-final 了 can taken on the meaning of "(not) anymore" or "no longer."
 
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 没有 纸 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl">"There's no paper enymore." (in other words, "we're out of paper")</span>
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*我 <strong>不</strong> 买 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">I had previously decided to buy it.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>bù</strong> mǎi <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm not buying it now.</span>
* 他 不会 开车 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl">"He doesn't know how to drive anymore." (but he could before)</span>
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*我 <strong>不</strong> 回家 吃 晚饭 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">I had previously decided to go home for dinner.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>bù</strong> huí jiā chī wǎnfàn <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm not going to go home for dinner tonight.</span>
* 我 不能 喝酒 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl">"I can't drink ''anymore''."</span>
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*我 <strong>不</strong> 去 看电影 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">I had said I was going.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>bù</strong> qù kàn diànyǐng <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I decided not to go to the movies.</span>
* 你 不喜 欢 我 <em>了</em><span class="expl">"You don't like me anymore?"</span>
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*我 <strong>不</strong> 结婚 <em>了</em> <span class="expl">I had previously planned to get married.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>bù</strong> jiéhūn <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm not getting married.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Other Types of Change of State ==
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This pattern is somewhat similar to [[Expressing "not anymore" with "le"|expressing "not anymore" with "le"]].
  
Exactly what situations "change of state" covers is a bit open to interpretation. See some other similar uses under the article on the [[modal particle "le"|modal particle 了 (le)]].
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== Too General? ==
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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).
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 +
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 [[Expressing "now" with "le"|"now"]], [[Expressing "already" with just "le"|"already"]], or [[Expressing "not anymore" with "le"|"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 ==
 
== See also ==
  
* [[Modal particle "le"]]
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* [[Expressing "now" with "le"]]
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* [[Expressing "already" with "le"]]
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* [[Expressing "not anymore" with "le"]]
 
* [[Uses of "le"]]
 
* [[Uses of "le"]]
  
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (pp. 68) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899 →buy]
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 3|40}}
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 126-9) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
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{{Source|Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar|68}}
* [[Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar]] (pp. 238-99) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520066103?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0520066103 →buy]
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{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|126-9}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 217-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297 →buy]
+
{{Source|Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar|238-99}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)]] (pp. 64-5) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=756191251X →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)|217-8}}
 
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)|64-5}}
=== Websites ===
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)|8}}
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{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册)|239}}
  
* East Asia Student: [http://eastasiastudent.net/2630/china/mandarin/cmn-grammar/four-kinds-le/ grammar: four kinds of 了 in Mandarin]
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[[Category: A2 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK3}}
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{{Rel char|了}}
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{{Used for|Expressing result}}
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{{Used for|Referring to changes of situation}}
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{{Used for|Indicating conditions}}
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{{Similar|Uses of "le"}}
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{{Basic Grammar|了|A2|⋯⋯了|我 25 岁 <em>了</em>。|grammar point|ASGT185D}}
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{{POS|Particles}}

Latest revision as of 04:08, 12 March 2019

Chinese-grammar-wiki-le.jpg
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.

Used with Adjectives

When an adjective indicates a change to the subject, 了 (le) is placed at the end of the sentence to indicate a change of state.

Structure

Subj. + Adj. + 了

Examples

  • 我 饿 Wǒ è le.I'm hungry.
  • 孩子们 都 累 Háizi men dōu lèi le.The kids are all tired.
  • 妈妈 老 We aren't used to thinking of her as old, but she is now.Māma lǎo le.Mom has gotten old.
  • 你 胖 You used to not be fat.Nǐ pàng le.You've gotten fat.
  • 你 是不是 生气 Nǐ shì bu shì shēngqì le?Are you mad?

Used with Verbs

When following a verb or verb phrase, the 了 (le) indicates a change in an overall situation. For these sentences, sometimes you can translate this 了 (le) as "now."

Structure

Subj. + Verb + 了

Examples

  • 下雨 It wasn't raining, but now it is.Xià yǔ le.It's raining.
  • 宝宝 会 说话 He couldn't before.Bǎobao huì shuōhuà le.The baby can speak now.
  • 他 当 经理 He wasn't a manager before.Tā dāng jīnglǐ le.He became a manager.
  • 你 有 女朋友 He didn't have one before.Nǐ yǒu nǚpéngyou le?You have a girlfriend now?
  • 我 男朋友 找到 新 工作 A big change for sure.Wǒ nánpéngyou zhǎodào xīn gōngzuò le.My boyfriend has found a new job.

Change of Situation in the Negative

When you take the same "change of situation" pattern and put a 不 (bù) before the verb, you're indicating that something already decided has changed. What had once been green-lit is now getting a red light. What was once "on" is now "off." The "change of situation" indicated by 了 (le) is still the same, although the change is often simply mental: it's a change of plans, or a change of intent.

Structure

Subj. + 不 + Verb + 了

Examples

  • I had previously decided to buy it. mǎi le.I'm not buying it now.
  • 回家 吃 晚饭 I had previously decided to go home for dinner. huí jiā chī wǎnfàn le.I'm not going to go home for dinner tonight.
  • 去 看电影 I had said I was going. qù kàn diànyǐng le.I decided not to go to the movies.
  • 结婚 I had previously planned to get married. jiéhūn le.I'm not getting married.

This pattern is somewhat similar to expressing "not anymore" with "le".

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

Sources and further reading

Books