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ChineseGrammarWiki


			
				
					
						
						
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<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="&quot;Already&quot;_with_&quot;yijing&quot;" title=
"wikilink">"Already" with "yijing"</a></li>
<li><a href=
"Expressing_&quot;not_anymore&quot;_with_&quot;le&quot;" title=
"wikilink">Expressing "not anymore" with "le"</a></li>
<li><a href="Uses_of_&quot;le&quot;" 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&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;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&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;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&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;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&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;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&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;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&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;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&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;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>
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