Difference between revisions of "Expressing "now" with "le""

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* 我 走 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zǒu <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">I'm leaving now.</span>
 
* 我 走 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zǒu <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">I'm leaving now.</span>
 
* 他 来 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="expl">This can also mean "He's here now." Be careful!</span><span class="pinyin">Tā lái <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">He's coming over now. /He's on the way.</span>
 
* 他 来 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="expl">This can also mean "He's here now." Be careful!</span><span class="pinyin">Tā lái <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">He's coming over now. /He's on the way.</span>
* 上课 <em>了</em> ! <span class="pinyin">Shàng kè <em>le</em>!</span> <span class="trans">Class begin!</span>
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* 上课 <em>了</em> ! <span class="pinyin">Shàng kè <em>le</em>!</span> <span class="trans">Class begin now!</span>
 
* 我 去 睡觉 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ qù shuìjiào <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">I'm going to bed now.</span>
 
* 我 去 睡觉 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ qù shuìjiào <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">I'm going to bed now.</span>
 
* 快 点儿 , 开会 <em>了</em> ! <span class="pinyin">Kuài diǎnr, kāihuì <em>le</em>!</span> <span class="trans">Hurry up, it's time for the meeting now!</span>
 
* 快 点儿 , 开会 <em>了</em> ! <span class="pinyin">Kuài diǎnr, kāihuì <em>le</em>!</span> <span class="trans">Hurry up, it's time for the meeting now!</span>

Revision as of 01:34, 13 October 2015

Chinese-grammar-wiki-le.jpg

现在 (xiànzài) isn't the only way to express "now." You'll notice that in many common expressions, 了 (le) is used in place of the word for "now."

Structure

This pattern is actually the same as change of state with "le", but the examples below are somewhat idiomatic and can also easily be confused with a direct translation of "now" in Chinese, so they get special treatment here.

[New Situation] + 了

Examples

  • 知道 Zhīdao le. Got it now. / I see now. / Now I know. (I didn't before)
  • Dǒng le. Now I understand.
  • 吃 饭 Chī fàn le! Time to eat!
  • 我 走 Wǒ zǒu le. I'm leaving now.
  • 他 来 This can also mean "He's here now." Be careful!Tā lái le. He's coming over now. /He's on the way.
  • 上课 Shàng kè le! Class begin now!
  • 我 去 睡觉 Wǒ qù shuìjiào le. I'm going to bed now.
  • 快 点儿 , 开会 Kuài diǎnr, kāihuì le! Hurry up, it's time for the meeting now!
  • 该 你 Gāi nǐ le. It's your turn now.
  • 电影 开始 Diànyǐng kāishǐ le!The movie begins now!

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites