Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not anymore" with "le""

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
In a negative sentence, the [[Change of state with "le"|sentence-final 了 (le)]] can take on the meaning of "(not) anymore" or "no longer."  The word [[已经|已经 (yǐjīng)]], which [[Expressing "already" with just "le"|means "already,"]] may nor may not accompany it.
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In a negative sentence, the [[Change of state with "le"|sentence-final 了 (le)]] can take on the meaning of "(not) anymore" or "no longer."  The word [[已经|已经 (yǐjīng)]], which [[Expressing "already" with "yijing"|means "already,"]] may nor may not accompany it.
  
 
== 不 with Only 了 ==
 
== 不 with Only 了 ==
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不 + [Verb Phrase] + 了
 
不 + [Verb Phrase] + 了
 
</div>
 
</div>
 +
 +
Note that without the 了 this pattern is still correct, but then the resulting sentence would <em>no longer [[Change of state with "le"|indicate a change]]</em> (which is the whole point of the word "anymore").
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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没(有) + [Noun Phrase] + 了
 
没(有) + [Noun Phrase] + 了
 
</div>
 
</div>
 +
 +
Again, without the 了 this pattern is still correct, but then the resulting sentence would <em>no longer [[Change of state with "le"|indicate a change]]</em> (which is the whole point of the word "anymore").
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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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>
 
*手机 <em>没</em> 电 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Shǒujī <em>méi</em> diàn <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">My cell phone has run out of power.</span>
 
*手机 <em>没</em> 电 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Shǒujī <em>méi</em> diàn <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">My cell phone has run out of power.</span>
*他 <em>没有</em> 家 <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>méiyǒu</em> jiā <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't have his home anymore.</span>
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*他 <em>没有</em> 家 <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>méiyǒu</em> jiā <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't have a home anymore.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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== Adding 已经 for Emphasis ==
 
== Adding 已经 for Emphasis ==
  
[[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 [[Change of state with "le"|sentence-final 了 (le)]] is, of course, required.
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Use of the word [[已经]] (yǐjīng) to mean "anymore" is optional for this pattern, but either [[不]] (bù) or [[没有]] (méiyǒu) will be needed to make the verb negative. The [[Change of state with "le"|sentence-final 了 (le)]] is required, though, [[Expressing "already" with "yijing"|since 已经 is used]].
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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*他 <strong>已经</strong> <em>不</em> 在 这儿 工作 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>yǐjīng</strong> <em>bù</em> zài zhèr gōngzuò <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't work here anymore.</span>
 
*他 <strong>已经</strong> <em>不</em> 在 这儿 工作 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <strong>yǐjīng</strong> <em>bù</em> zài zhèr gōngzuò <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't work here anymore.</span>
 
*他们 <strong>已经</strong> <em>不</em> 在 一起 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <strong>yǐjīng</strong> <em>bù</em> zài yīqǐ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">They are no longer together.</span>
 
*他们 <strong>已经</strong> <em>不</em> 在 一起 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <strong>yǐjīng</strong> <em>bù</em> zài yīqǐ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">They are no longer together.</span>
*我们 <strong>已经</strong> <em></em> 钱 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <strong>yǐjīng</strong> <em>méi</em> qián <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">We all don't have any more money.</span>
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*我们 <strong>已经</strong> <em>没有</em> 钱 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <strong>yǐjīng</strong> <em>méiyǒu</em> qián <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">We all don't have money anymore.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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== See also ==
 
== See also ==
  
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* [[Expressing "already" with "yijing"]]
 
* [[Expressing "already" with just "le"]]
 
* [[Expressing "already" with just "le"]]
 
* [[Change of state with "le"]]
 
* [[Change of state with "le"]]
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{{Basic Grammar|了|A2|不 / 没(有) + Verb Phrase + 了|我 <em>不</em> 想 吃 <em>了</em> 。|grammar point|ASGFR96B}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|了|A2|不 / 没(有) + Verb Phrase + 了|我 <em>不</em> 想 吃 <em>了</em> 。|grammar point|ASGFR96B}}
 
[[Category: A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category: A2 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
 
{{Used for|Referring to changes of situation}}
 
{{Used for|Referring to changes of situation}}
 
{{Similar|Uses of "le"}}
 
{{Similar|Uses of "le"}}
 
{{POS|Particles}}
 
{{POS|Particles}}

Latest revision as of 09:20, 20 April 2021

Chinese-grammar-wiki-le.jpg

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.

不 with Only 了

Structure

不 + [Verb Phrase] + 了

Note that without the 了 this pattern is still correct, but then the resulting sentence would no longer indicate a change (which is the whole point of the word "anymore").

Examples

  • 想 吃 xiǎng chī le.I don't want to eat anymore.
  • 喜欢 我 吗? xǐhuan wǒ le ma?You don't like me anymore?
  • 你们 能 打 Nǐmen néng dǎ le.You can't fight anymore.

没有 with Only 了

Structure

没(有) + [Noun Phrase] + 了

Again, without the 了 this pattern is still correct, but then the resulting sentence would no longer indicate a change (which is the whole point of the word "anymore").

Examples

  • 没有in other words, "we're out of paper"Méiyǒu zhǐ le.There's no paper anymore.
  • 手机 Shǒujī méi diàn le.My cell phone has run out of power.
  • 没有méiyǒu jiā le.He doesn't have a home anymore.

Adding 已经 for Emphasis

Use of the word 已经 (yǐjīng) to mean "anymore" is optional for this pattern, but either (bù) or 没有 (méiyǒu) will be needed to make the verb negative. The sentence-final 了 (le) is required, though, since 已经 is used.

Structure

已经 + 不 + [Verb Phrase] + 了

已经 + 没(有) + [Noun Phrase] + 了

Examples

  • 已经 住 这里 yǐjīng zhù zhèlǐ le.I don't live here anymore.
  • 已经 在 这儿 工作 yǐjīng zài zhèr gōngzuò le.He doesn't work here anymore.
  • 他们 已经 在 一起 Tāmen yǐjīng zài yīqǐ le.They are no longer together.
  • 我们 已经 没有Wǒmen yǐjīng méiyǒu qián le.We all don't have money anymore.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites