Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not anymore" with "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]
+
* [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (p. 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]
 
* [[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]
 
* [[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]
 
* [[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]  
 
* [[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]  

Revision as of 06:05, 21 March 2014

Chinese-grammar-wiki-le.jpg

In a negative sentence, the sentence-final 了 (le) can taken on the meaning of "(not) anymore" or "no longer." The word 已经 (yǐjīng), which means "already," may nor may not accompany it.

Structure

(已经) + [Negative Verb Phrase] + 了

Examples

  • 没 有 纸 (in other words, "we're out of paper")There's no paper anymore.
  • 我 不 能 喝酒 (there's some new reason why I can't drink now)I can't drink anymore.
  • 你 不 喜 欢 我 You don't like me anymore?
  • 我 已经 不 爱 你 I don't love you anymore.
  • 我 没 有 钱I don't have money anymore. / I'm not rich anymore.
  • 没 有 酒 We're out of booze.
  • 我 没 有 工作 I don't have a job anymore.
  • 不 想 去 I don't want to go anymore.
  • 他 已经 不 住 在 这里 He is not living there anymore.
  • 他 不 会 再 回来 I can't go back home anymore.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites