{{Grammar Box}} {{AKA|了2|change-of-state 了|sentence 了|modal 了}} 了 (le) has many uses. You probably first learned 了 (le) as a [[particle]] that tells you [[expressing completion with "le"|an action is completed]], which is also known as "了1." However, this article is not about that use of 了 (le); instead, it is about indicating a ''change of state'' (了2). In other words, there is now a new situation, or there is about to be a new situation. This whole "change of state" idea can take numerous forms, and this page includes some helpful examples. == Structure == When used in this way, 了(le) is placed at the end of the sentence to indicate a new situation.
[New Situation] + 了
== Examples ==
* 下 雨 了。It wasn't raining, but now it is.Xià yǔ le.It's raining. * 妈妈 老 了。We aren't used to thinking of her as old, but she is now.Māma lǎo le.Mom is old. * 你 胖 了。You used to not be fat.Nǐ pàng le.You've gotten fat. * 家里 没有 牛奶 了。We had milk before.Jiālǐ méiyǒu niúnǎi le.We don't have any milk at home. * 爸爸 今年 50 岁 了。Seems like just a year ago he was only 49!Bàba jīnnián wǔshí suì le.Dad is 50 years old this year. * 手机 没 电 了。It was working fine until now.Shǒujī méi diàn le.The cell phone ran out of power. * 宝宝 会 说话 了。He couldn't before.Bǎobao huì shuōhuà le.The baby can speak. * 你哥哥 有 女朋友 了 吗？He didn't have one before.Nǐ gēge yǒu nǚpéngyou le ma? Does your older brother have a girlfriend? * 我 男朋友 找到 新 工作 了。A big change for sure.Wǒ nánpéngyou zhǎodào xīn gōngzuò le.My boyfriend found a new job. * 你 老婆 怀孕 了 吗？I know you guys have been trying...Nǐ lǎopo huáiyùn le ma? Is your wife pregnant?
== Too General? == The whole "change of state" concept might seem very general, and it is. It's vague, and it also takes some getting used to. You should expect it to take a while to get used to this use of 了 (le). Because it's a little vague and confusing, most learners find it useful to break this "change of state" 了 (le) down into more specific usages, such as using it to mean [[Expressing "now" with "le"|"now"]], [[Expressing "already" with just "le"|"already"]], or [[Expressing "not anymore" with "le"|"not anymore"]]. Although these are all "flavors" of the "change of state" 了 (le), identifying them as specific cases can make it much easier to get used to using 了 (le) in this way. == See Also == * [[Expressing "now" with "le"]] * [[Expressing "already" with "le"]] * [[Expressing "not anymore" with "le"]] * [[Uses of "le"]] == Sources and further reading == === 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] * [[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] * [[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] * [[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] * [[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] * [[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] *[[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] === Websites === * Chinesegrammar.info: [http://chinesegrammar.info/particles/le-grammar-summary/ Chinese le grammar summary (了)] [[Category: A2 grammar points]] {{Rel char|了}} {{Used for|Expressing result}} {{Used for|Referring to changes of situation}} {{Used for|Indicating conditions}} {{Similar|Uses of "le"}} {{Basic Grammar|了|A2|⋯⋯了|我 25 岁 了。|grammar point|ASGT185D}} {{POS|Particles}}