了 (le) has many uses. You probably first learned 了 (le) as a
[particle](particle "wikilink") that tells you [an action is
completed](expressing_completion_with_"le" "wikilink"), 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.

<div class="jiegou">
\[New Situation\] + 了

</div>
Examples
--------

<div class="liju">
-   下 雨 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">It wasn't
    raining, but now it is.</span><span class="pinyin">Xià yǔ
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">It's raining.</span>
-   妈妈 老 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl">We aren't used to thinking
    of her as old, but she is now.</span><span class="pinyin">Māma lǎo
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">Mom is old.</span>
-   你 胖 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">You used to
    not be fat.</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ pàng
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">You've gotten fat.</span>
-   家里 没有 牛奶 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">We
    had milk before.</span><span class="pinyin">Jiālǐ méiyǒu niúnǎi
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">We don't have any milk at
    home.</span>
-   爸爸 今年 50 岁 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl">Seems like just a
    year ago he was only 49!</span><span class="pinyin">Bàba jīnnián
    wǔshí suì <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">Dad is 50 years old
    this year.</span>
-   手机 没 电 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">It was
    working fine until now.</span><span class="pinyin">Shǒujī méi diàn
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">The cell phone ran out of
    power.</span>
-   宝宝 会 说话 <em>了</em>。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">He
    couldn't before.</span><span class="pinyin">Bǎobao huì shuōhuà
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">The baby can speak.</span>
-   你哥哥 有 女朋友 <em>了</em>
    吗？<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">He didn't have one
    before.</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ gēge yǒu nǚpéngyou <em>le</em>
    ma? </span><span class="trans">Does your older brother have a
    girlfriend? </span>
-   我 男朋友 找到 新 工作
    <em>了</em>。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">A big change for
    sure.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ nánpéngyou zhǎodào xīn gōngzuò
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">My boyfriend found a new
    job.</span>
-   你 老婆 怀孕 <em>了</em> 吗？<span class="expl">I know you guys have
    been trying...</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ lǎopo huáiyùn
    <em>le</em> ma? </span><span class="trans">Is your wife pregnant?
    </span>

</div>
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 ["now"](Expressing_"now"_with_"le" "wikilink"),
["already"](Expressing_"already"_with_just_"le" "wikilink"), or ["not
anymore"](Expressing_"not_anymore"_with_"le" "wikilink"). 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_"now"_with_"le" "wikilink")
-   [Expressing "already" with
    "le"](Expressing_"already"_with_"le" "wikilink")
-   [Expressing "not anymore" with
    "le"](Expressing_"not_anymore"_with_"le" "wikilink")
-   [Uses of "le"](Uses_of_"le" "wikilink")

Sources and further reading
---------------------------

### Books

-   [Basic Patterns of Chinese
    Grammar](Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar "wikilink") (p. 68)
    [→buy](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)
-   [Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second
    Edition](Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition "wikilink") (pp.
    126-9)
    [→buy](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)
-   [Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference
    Grammar](Mandarin_Chinese:_A_Functional_Reference_Grammar "wikilink") (pp.
    238-99)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520066103?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0520066103)
-   [New Practical Chinese Reader
    2 (新实用汉语课本2)](New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_2_(新实用汉语课本2) "wikilink") (pp.
    217-8)
    [→buy](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)
-   [New Practical Chinese Reader
    3 (新实用汉语课本3)](New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_3_(新实用汉语课本3) "wikilink") (pp.
    64-5)
    [→buy](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)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2
    (3rd ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed) "wikilink") (p.
    8)
    [→buy](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)
-   [40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course
    (基础汉语40课上册）](40_Lessons_for_Basic_Chinese_Course_(基础汉语40课上册） "wikilink") (p.
    239)[→buy](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)

### Websites

-   Chinesegrammar.info: [Chinese le grammar
    summary (了)](http://chinesegrammar.info/particles/le-grammar-summary/)

[Category: A2 grammar points](Category:_A2_grammar_points "wikilink")