了(le)

 

了:aspect particle or modal particle.

了 as an aspect particle

“了” is an aspect particle used after a verb to express the completion of an action.

Verb +

e.g.

一杯咖啡。(Wǒ hēle yībēi kāfēi.) I drank a cup of coffee.

一本书。(Wǒ kànle yī běn shū.) I read a book.

The negative form of “Verb + 了”: + verb

e.g.

A: 你咖啡吗?(Nǐ hē kāfēi le ma?) Have you had coffee?

B:。 (Hēle.) I drank it.

 

A: 你咖啡吗?(Nǐ hē kāfēi le ma?) Have you had coffee?

B: 没。(Méi hē.) I didn’t drink.

了 cannot be used if an action happens habitually or regularly.

e.g.

√ 我经常去旅游。(Wǒ jīngcháng qù lǚyóu.) I often travel.

✘ 我经常去旅游。

 

√ 我通常晚上十点睡觉。(Wǒ tōngcháng wǎnshàng shí diǎn shuìjiào.) I usually go to bed at ten at night.

✘ 我通常晚上十点睡觉

了 cannot be used if the verb expresses a mental activity, such as 喜欢,欣赏,佩服,想念 and etc.

e.g.

√ 我喜欢中国菜。(Wǒ xǐhuān Zhōngguó cài.) I like Chinese food.

✘ 我喜欢中国菜。

 

√ 这个孩子非常思念妈妈。(Zhège háizi fēicháng sīniàn māma.) The child misses his mother very much.

✘ 这个孩子非常思念妈妈。

了 as a modal particle

Express a change.

了 is used to indicate the change in the state of somebody or something that has already happened, meaning “it was not … in the past, but it is now.”

e.g.

下雪!(Xià xuě le!) Snowing!

我想家。(Wǒ xiǎng jiā le.) I miss my home.

了 is used to indicate a change that is going to take place in the patterns like “就要/快要/要/快……了”.

e.g.

我们就要睡觉。(Wǒmen jiù yào shuìjiào le.) We are going to sleep.

20岁。(Wǒ kuài 20 suì le.) I am almost 20 years old.

Express the tone of a sentence.

了 is put at the end of a declarative sentence to soften the tone.

e.g.

你别哭!(Nǐ bié kū le!) Don’t cry!

我走,再见!(Wǒ zǒu le, zàijiàn!) I am leaving, bye!

了 is put at the end of an exclamative sentence to enhance the tone.

e.g.

你太好!(Nǐ tài hǎo le!) You are so nice!

这件事有意思极!(Zhè jiàn shì yǒuyìsi jíle!) This thing is very interesting!

1. 我们吃了午饭。(Wǒmen chīle wǔfàn.)
2. 他没写完作业了。(Tā méi xiěwán zuòyè le.)
3. 他喜欢了打篮球。(Tā xǐhuɑn le dǎ lánqiú.)
4. 外面下雨了!(Wàimian xià yǔ le!)
5. 快九点了,我要回家了。(Kuài jiǔ diǎn le, wǒ yào huíjiā le.)
6. 他们经常去了游泳。(Tāmen jīnɡchánɡ qùle yóuyǒnɡ.)
7. 你吃早饭了吗?(Nǐ chī zǎofàn le mɑ?)

 

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