The use of 了 to imply completed action
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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