The 了 (le) particle is used in many different ways. In this article, we
will explore how to use the double 了 (le) to express the duration of an
activity that is ongoing.

Ongoing Duration with Simple Verbs
----------------------------------

Expressing [*how long* you did something in the
past](Expressing_duration_with_"le" "wikilink") is one thing, but what
if the action is still ongoing?

A clarifying example (in English) is appropriate:

-   I lived in Shanghai for 5 years. (concluded, not ongoing)
-   I have lived in Shanghai for 5 years. (mostly likely ongoing)
-   I have been living in Shanghai for 5 years. (definitely ongoing)

This article is about expressing the third situation above, the one
which is *definitely ongoing*.

### Structure

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + Verb + 了 + Duration + 了

</div>
The first 了 (le) is placed after the verb (to indicate that the action
is completed), followed by the duration, followed by an additional 了
(le) which tells us that the action has not concluded and is ongoing.
You can think of the second 了 (le) as communicating the meaning of "up
until now."

### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   你 睡 <em>了</em> <strong>一 天</strong>
    <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shuì <em>le</em> <strong>yī
    tiān</strong> <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">You have been
    sleeping for the whole day.</span>
-   他 在 北京 住 <em>了</em> <strong>两 年</strong>
    <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Tā zài Běijīng zhù <em>le</em>
    <strong>liǎng nián</strong>
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He has been living in Beijing
    for two years.</span>
-   这 个 会，他们 开 <em>了</em> <strong>两 个 小时</strong>
    <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Zhège huì, tāmen kāi <em>le</em>
    <strong>liǎng gè xiǎoshí</strong>
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">They've been holding this
    meeting for the past two hours.</span>
-   我 在 这儿 等 <em>了</em> <strong>半 个 小时</strong>
    <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zài zhèr děng <em>le</em>
    <strong>bàn gè xiǎoshí</strong>
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I have been waiting here for
    half an hour.</span>
-   他们 在 酒吧 待 <em>了</em> <strong>一 个 晚上</strong>
    <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen zài jiǔbā dāi <em>le</em>
    <strong>yī gè wǎnshang</strong>
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">They have been staying at the
    bar for the whole evening.</span>

</div>
When the Verb Takes an Object
-----------------------------

### Structure

Note that in the examples above, the verbs have no objects. When the
verb has an object, the verb is often repeated:

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + Verb + Obj. + Verb + 了 + Duration + 了

</div>
### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   我 学 中文 学 <em>了</em> <strong>一 年</strong>
    <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xué Zhōngwén xué <em>le</em>
    <strong>yī nián</strong> <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I
    have been learning Chinese for a year.</span>
-   他 打 电话 打 <em>了</em> <strong>一 个 多 小时</strong>
    <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Tā dǎ diànhuà dǎ <em>le</em>
    <strong>yī gè duō xiǎoshí</strong>
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He has been on the phone for
    more than an hour.</span>
-   老板 打 游戏 打 <em>了</em> <strong>一 个 上午</strong>
    <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn dǎ yóuxì dǎ <em>le</em>
    <strong>yī gè shàngwǔ</strong>
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">The boss has been playing
    video games all morning.</span>
-   你 洗澡 洗 <em>了</em> <strong>差不多 一 个 小时</strong>
    <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xǐzǎo xǐ <em>le</em>
    <strong>chàbuduō yī gè xiǎoshí</strong>
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">You have been showering for
    almost an hour.</span>
-   妈妈 看电视 看 <em>了</em> <strong>一 晚上</strong>
    <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin"> Māma kàn diànshì kàn <em>le</em>
    <strong>yī wǎnshang</strong>
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">Mom has been watching TV all
    evening.</span>

</div>
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)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2
    (3rd ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed) "wikilink") (pp.
    203-4)
    [→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)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part
    1](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_1 "wikilink") (pp. 13-4)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792)

### Websites

-   Yale: [The Perfective –Le了 Versus The Modal Particle
    Le了](http://comet.cls.yale.edu/mandarin/content/Lele/grammar/Lele.htm)

[Category:A2 grammar points](Category:A2_grammar_points "wikilink")