<!DOCTYPE html> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta name="generator" content= "HTML Tidy for HTML5 for Linux version 5.2.0" /> <title></title> </head> <body> <p>You understand the word <a href="ASGNXI27" title="wikilink">已经 (yǐjīng)</a> to mean "already" in Chinese, and it is followed with a <a href="%E4%BA%86" title="wikilink">了 (le)</a>. However, sometimes, that feeling of "already" can also be expressed with 了 (le) alone if it is used in response to a preceding question or statement.</p> <h2 id="structure">Structure</h2> <div class="jiegou"> <p>[Verb Phrase] + 了</p> </div> <h2 id="examples">Examples</h2> <p>When "already" is implied using this structure, it is usually (if not always) in response to a preceding question or statement. Therefore, the following examples are in dialogue format.</p> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 老板 呢？<span class= "pinyin">Lǎobǎn ne?</span> <span class="trans">Where is the boss?</span></li> <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>他 走 <em>了</em>。<span class= "pinyin">Tā zǒu <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He (already) left.</span></li> </ul> </div> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 孩子 还在 上 大学 吗？<span class= "pinyin">Háizi hái zài shàng dàxué ma?</span> <span class= "trans">Are your kids still in college?</span></li> <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>他们 工作 <em>了</em>。<span class= "expl">This expression emphasizes that they're not students anymore, and have already entered the workforce.</span><span class= "pinyin">Tāmen gōngzuò <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">They (already) work.</span></li> </ul> </div> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 用 我 的 车 吧？<span class= "pinyin">Yòng wǒ de chē ba?</span> <span class="trans">How about using my car?</span></li> <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>谢谢，我们 有 车 <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Xièxie, wǒmen yǒu chē <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">Thanks. We (already) have a car.</span></li> </ul> </div> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><span class="speaker">A:</span>你 要 不 要 告诉 他？<span class= "pinyin">Nǐ yào bu yào gàosu tā?</span> <span class="trans">Are you going to tell him?</span></li> <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>他 知道 <em>了</em>。<span class= "pinyin">Tā zhīdào <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He (already) knows.</span></li> </ul> </div> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><span class="speaker">A:</span>你 应该 问 老师。<span class= "pinyin">Nǐ yīnggāi wèn lǎoshī.</span> <span class="trans">You should ask the teacher.</span></li> <li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 问 <em>了</em>。<span class= "pinyin">Wǒ wèn <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I (already) asked.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2> <ul> <li><a href=""Already"_with_"yijing"" title= "wikilink">"Already" with "yijing"</a></li> <li><a href= "Expressing_"not_anymore"_with_"le"" title= "wikilink">Expressing "not anymore" with "le"</a></li> <li><a href="Uses_of_"le"" title="wikilink">Uses of "le"</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2> <h3 id="books">Books</h3> <ul> <li><a href="Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar" title= "wikilink">Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar</a> (p. 68) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href="Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition" title= "wikilink">Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition</a> (pp. 126-9) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href="Mandarin_Chinese:_A_Functional_Reference_Grammar" title="wikilink">Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar</a> (pp. 238-99) <a href= "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520066103?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0520066103"> →buy</a></li> <li><a href= "New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_2_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC2)" title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)</a> (pp. 217-8) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href= "New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_3_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC3)" title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)</a> (pp. 64-5) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed)" title= "wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)</a> (p. 8) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href= "40_Lessons_for_Basic_Chinese_Course_(%E5%9F%BA%E7%A1%80%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD40%E8%AF%BE%E4%B8%8A%E5%86%8C%EF%BC%89" title="wikilink">40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）</a> (p. 239)<a href= "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</a></li> </ul> <h3 id="websites">Websites</h3> <ul> <li>Chinesegrammar.info: <a href= "http://chinesegrammar.info/particles/le-grammar-summary/">Chinese le grammar summary (了)</a></li> </ul> <p><a href="Category:_A2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category: A2 grammar points</a></p> </body> </html>