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

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== Structure ==
 
== 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.
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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.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
[New Situation] + 了
 
[New Situation] + 了
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 吃 饭 <em>了</em> <span class="pinyin">Chī fàn <em>le</em>!</span> <span class="trans">Time to eat!</span>
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*知道 <em>了</em> 。<span class="expl">This is something I didn't know before now</span><span class="pinyin">Zhīdào <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">Got it. / I see.</span>
* 我 走 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zǒu <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">I'm leaving now.</span>
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*<em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Dǒng <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">Now I understand.</span>
* 我 <em>了</em> <span class="expl">This can also mean "I'm here now." Be careful!</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ lái <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">I'm coming over now. / I'm on the way.</span>
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*我 20 岁 <em>了</em> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ èrshí suì <em>le</em>! </span><span class="trans">I'm 20 years old now! </span>
* 我 知道 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhīdao <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">I get it now. / I see now. / Now I know. (I didn't before)</span>
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*吃饭 <em>了</em> !<span class="pinyin">Chīfàn <em>le</em>!</span><span class="trans">Time to eat!</span>
* 现在 我 明白 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Xiànzài wǒ míngbai <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">Now I understand.</span>
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*我 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zǒu <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm leaving now.</span>
* 我 想 你 <em>了</em> ! <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng nǐ <em>le</em>!</span> <span class="trans">I miss you now!</span>
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*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>
* 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>
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*上课 <em>了</em> ! <span class="pinyin">Shàngkè <em>le</em>! </span><span class="trans">Class begins 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>
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*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>
* 你 <em>了</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Gāi nǐ <em>le</em>.</span> <span class="trans">It's your turn now.</span>
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*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>
* 你 迟到 <em>了</em> ! <span class="pinyin">Nǐ chídào <em>le</em>!</span> <span class="trans">You're late!</span>
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*你 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Dào nǐ <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">It's your turn now.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[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]
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|32}}
* [[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]
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{{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}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (p. 8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)|64-5}}
*[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册)]] (p. 239)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy]
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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}}
=== Websites ===
 
 
 
* Chinesegrammar.info: [http://chinesegrammar.info/particles/le-grammar-summary/ Chinese le grammar summary (了)]
 
  
{{Basic Grammar|了|A2|……了|吃饭 <em>了</em>!|grammar point|ASGE5Q4J}}
 
 
[[Category: A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category: A2 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
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{{Basic Grammar|了|A2|New Situation + 了|吃饭 <em>了</em>!|grammar point|ASGE5Q4J}}
 
{{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 09:23, 20 April 2021

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 This is something I didn't know before nowZhīdào le.Got it. / I see.
  • Dǒng le.Now I understand.
  • 我 20 岁 Wǒ èrshí suì le! I'm 20 years old now!
  • 吃饭 Chīfàn 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 Shàngkè le! Class begins 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!
  • 到 你 Dào nǐ le.It's your turn now.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books