Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not anymore" with "le""
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* <em>没有</em> 纸 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">in other words, "we're out of paper"</span><span class="pinyin"><em>Méiyǒu</em> zhǐ <em>le</em>. </span> <span class="trans">There's no paper anymore. </span> | * <em>没有</em> 纸 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">in other words, "we're out of paper"</span><span class="pinyin"><em>Méiyǒu</em> zhǐ <em>le</em>. </span> <span class="trans">There's no paper anymore. </span> | ||
* 你 <em>不</em> 喜欢 我 <em>了</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bù</em> xǐhuan wǒ <em>le</em>? </span> <span class="trans">You don't like me anymore? </span> | * 你 <em>不</em> 喜欢 我 <em>了</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bù</em> xǐhuan wǒ <em>le</em>? </span> <span class="trans">You don't like me anymore? </span> | ||
| − | * 我 <em>不</em> 想 吃 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù xiǎng chī <em>le</em>. </span> <span class="trans">I don't want to eat anymore. </span> | + | * 我 <em>不</em> 想 吃 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù</em> xiǎng chī <em>le</em>. </span> <span class="trans">I don't want to eat anymore. </span> |
| − | * 你们 <em>不</em> 能 喝 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen bù néng hē <em>le</em>. </span> <span class="trans">You can't drink anymore. </span> | + | * 你们 <em>不</em> 能 喝 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>bù</em> néng hē <em>le</em>. </span> <span class="trans">You can't drink anymore. </span> |
| − | * 我 <em>已经 不</em> 住 这里 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yǐjīng bù zhù zhèlǐ <em>le</em>. </span> <span class="trans">I don't live here anymore. </span> | + | * 我 <em>已经 不</em> 住 这里 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yǐjīng bù</em> zhù zhèlǐ <em>le</em>. </span> <span class="trans">I don't live here anymore. </span> |
* 我们 都 <em>没有</em> 钱 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>méiyǒu</em> qián <em>le</em>. </span> <span class="trans">We don't have any more money. </span> | * 我们 都 <em>没有</em> 钱 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>méiyǒu</em> qián <em>le</em>. </span> <span class="trans">We don't have any more money. </span> | ||
* 他 <em>已经 不</em> 在 这儿 工作 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yǐjīng bù</em> zài zhèr gōngzuò <em>le</em>. </span> <span class="trans">He doesn't work here anymore. </span> | * 他 <em>已经 不</em> 在 这儿 工作 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yǐjīng bù</em> zài zhèr gōngzuò <em>le</em>. </span> <span class="trans">He doesn't work here anymore. </span> | ||
Revision as of 08:24, 14 March 2016
In a negative sentence, the sentence-final 了 (le) can take 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 (yǐjīng) is optional for this pattern, but either 不 (bù) or 没有 (méiyǒu) will be needed to make the verb negative. The sentence-final 了 (le) is, of course, essential.
(已经 +) 不 / 没(有) + [Verb Phrase] + 了
Examples
- 没有 纸 了 。in other words, "we're out of paper" There's no paper anymore.
- 你 不 喜欢 我 了 ？ You don't like me anymore?
- 我 不 想 吃 了 。 I don't want to eat anymore.
- 你们 不 能 喝 了 。 You can't drink anymore.
- 我 已经 不 住 这里 了 。 I don't live here anymore.
- 我们 都 没有 钱 了 。 We don't have any more money.
- 他 已经 不 在 这儿 工作 了 。 He doesn't work here anymore.
- 他 已经 不 是 我老板 了。 He is not my boss anymore.
- 他们 已经 不 在 一起 了 。 They are no longer together.
- 生病 以后，爸爸 不 能 喝酒 了 。there's some new reason why dad can't drink now Dad can no longer drink after falling ill.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (p. 68) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 126-9) →buy
- Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar (pp. 238-99) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 217-8) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 64-5) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (p. 8) →buy
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 239)→buy
Websites
- Chinesegrammar.info: Chinese le grammar summary (了)
