The use of 了 to imply completed action
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Position of 了in a sentence |
Examples in Chinese |
Meaning in English |
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After verb After first verb After first & last verb After last verb |
我 坐 了 半 个 小 时/ 我 只 说 了 一 句 话 /他 把 书 都 卖 了 你 吃 了 饭 再 走 他 吃 了 饭 就 走 了 他 又 去 食 堂 买 了 一 碗 饺 子 |
I sat for half an hour./I’ve only said one sentence./He has sold off all his books. Please go after the meal. or please don’t go until you have eaten. He left after he had finished the meal. He went to the canteen again and bought a bowl of dumplings |
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End of sentence* |
她 学 完 汉 语 了 她 去 中 国 了 她 去 上 海 看 朋 友 了 |
She has finished learning Chinese. She has gone to China. She has gone to Shanghai to visit a friend. |
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了 for completed action is not used with: |
Examples in Chinese |
Meaning in English |
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1. negation 2. habitual action 3. modal verbs and verbs expressing feeling : 应 该, 可 以, 能, 要, 想, 得, 爱, 喜 欢, 觉 得, 愿 意, 希 望, 知 道 4. 是, 在, 有 when acting as the main verb in a sentence 5. stative verbs 6. direct speech, indirect speech 7. The得 construction 8. The 的 clause |
我没有作练习 去年我常常/总是/每天上饭馆 我 昨 天 应 该 去 看 她 她以前爱/喜欢吃牛肉 我小时候能说十种语言 他昨天想请我吃饭 我上星期就知道他们要去国外 他两年前就希望去中国 我去年在中国 我去年是学生 我去年只有两个中国朋友 上个月我很忙 前几天她说她帮我作练习 他刚才唱得很好听 我昨天买的鞋是破的 |
I didn’t do the exercises. I (often) / (always) went to a restaurant (everyday) last year. I should have gone to see her yesterday. She loved / liked beef in the past. I could speak ten languages when I was little. He wanted to treat me to a meal yesterday. I knew (as early as) last week that they were going abroad. He hoped (as early as) two years ago that he would go to China. I was in China last year. I was a student last year. I only had two Chinese friends last year. I was very busy last month She said a few days ago that she would help me to do the exercises. He sang very beautifully a minute ago. The shoes that I bought yesterday are damaged. |
The use of了to bring the time up to the present
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了used at the end of a sentence implies that a sustained action extends to the present |
小 王 等 了 她 十 年 了 我 们 是 多 年 的 好 朋 友 了 这 是 十 年 前 的 事 了
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Xiao Wang has been waiting for her for ten years. We’ve been friends for many years. It happened ten years ago. |
The use of了to emphasize an action which has taken place
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After the verb & at the end of the sentence |
我 买 了 票 了 她 已 经 喝 过 了 酒 了 |
I’ve BOUGHT the ticket. She has already DRUNK the wine. |
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At the end of the sentence |
她 的 汉 语 比 我 的 好 多了 |
Her Chinese is MUCH better than mine.
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The use of了to imply a change of situation
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At the end of the sentence |
我 不 去 了 夏 天 了 ， 天 热 了 她 的 病 好 了 他 学 会 吸 烟 了 好 了 ， 算 了 ， 我 们 不 说 了 这 辆 车 已 经 是 旧 的 了 |
I am not going. (I have changed my mind.) It’s summer now; so it’s hot. She has recovered from the illness. He has learnt how to smoke. OK, forget it, we are not going to talk about this. This car is already an old model. |
The use of 了to imply imminent action
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要... 了 快... 了 快 要... 了 就 要... 了 都 要... 了 就 快... 了 |
我 们 一 会 儿 要 吃 饭 了 电 影 快 开 始 了 她 快 要 哭 了 我 们 就 要 考 试 了 火 车 都 要 开 了 我 们 就 快 下 班 了 |
We are about to eat. The film is about to start. She is about to cry. We are about to have examinations. The train is about to leave. We are about to finish our (work) shift. |
The use of 了to imply excessiveness
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太 ...了 ...极 了 可 ...了 |
她 太 漂 亮 了 难 吃 极 了 他 可 有 意 思 了 |
She is extremely beautiful. It’s disgusting (to eat). He is extremely funny (interesting / lovable). |
* These sentences can also imply a change of situation. Please see modal particle 了