ChineseGrammarWiki/ancien/Chinese-Grammar-Wiki/MD/A2/46.mw

{{Grammar Box}} 

{{AKA|了1|verb 了|completed action 了|perfective aspect 了}}

The particle 了 (le) has a [[Uses of "le"|lot of uses]]. One of the most common is to express the completion of an action. This is called [[Aspect|aspect]], which is not the same as tense. Tense is about ''when an action happens'': past, present or future. Aspect is about ''whether the action is complete'' in a certain time frame.

== Basic Pattern ==

To indicate completeness with 了 (le), the structure is:

<div class="jiegou">

Subj. + Verb + 了 + Obj.

</div>

Notice that 了 (le) goes directly after the verb. This 了 (le) is called '''verb 了 (le)''' or '''了1'''.

== Examples ==

<div class="liju">

* 你 今天 早上 吃 <em>了</em> 什么？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ jīntiān zǎoshang chī <em>le</em> shénme? </span><span class="trans">What did you eat this morning? </span>
* 他 买 <em>了</em> 一个 新 手机。 <span class="pinyin">Tā mǎi <em>le</em> yī gè xīn shǒujī.</span><span class="trans">He bought a new cell phone.</span>
* 昨天 晚上 我 看见 <em>了</em> UFO。 <span class="pinyin">Zuótiān wǎnshang wǒ kànjiàn <em>le</em> UFO.</span><span class="trans">I saw a UFO last night.</span>
* 我 学 <em>了</em> 两 年 中文。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xué <em>le</em> liǎng nián Zhōngwén.</span><span class="trans"> I studied Chinese for two years.</span>
* 今年 夏天 我 跟 我 男朋友 去 <em>了</em> 台湾。 <span class="pinyin">Jīnnián xiàtiān wǒ gēn wǒ nánpéngyou qù <em>le</em> Táiwān.</span><span class="trans">I went to Taiwan with my boyfriend this summer.</span>

</div>

The examples above indicate a completed action, but they might also seem very similar to a "past tense" in English.  To illustrate that 了 (le) can also indicate that one action is completed before another, see the following examples:

<div class="liju">

* 你 到 <em>了</em> 告诉 我。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">future action</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ dào <em>le</em> gàosu wǒ.</span><span class="trans">When you have arrived, tell me.</span>
* 老板 走 <em>了</em> 以后， 你们 可以 走。 <span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">future action</span><span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn zǒu <em>le</em> yǐhòu, nǐmen kěyǐ zǒu.</span><span class="trans">After the boss has left, you may leave.</span>
* 你 找到 <em>了</em> 以后 ， 给 我 打 电话。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">future action</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhǎodào​ <em>le</em> yǐhòu, gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.</span><span class="trans">After you have found it, give me a call.</span>
* 你们 吃 <em>了</em> 饭 以后 ， 可以 出去 。 <span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">future action</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐmen chī <em>le</em> fàn yǐhòu, kěyǐ chūqù.</span><span class="trans">After you have eaten your food, you can go out.</span>
* 下 <em>了</em> 课 以后 ，我 要 问 老师 一些 问题。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">future action</span><span class="pinyin">Xià <em>le</em> kè yǐhòu, wǒ yào wèn lǎoshī yīxiē wèntí.</span><span class="trans">After class is over, I need to ask the teacher a few questions.</span>

</div>

As you can see, 了 (le) can appear in sentences about the future as well as the past. What's important is whether or not the action has been ''completed'', no matter what time frame we're talking about. This also means that this 了 (le) isn't used with habitual or continuous actions.

==See also==

*[[Expressing experiences with verbs]]
*[[Uses of "le"]]
*[[Using "guo" with "le"]]

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===

* [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (pp. 65-8) [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. 57-9) [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]
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 137-9, 208) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (pp. 11-4) [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 →buy]
* [[Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar]] (pp. 185-217) [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 1 (新实用汉语课本1)]] (pp. 199-200) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401 →buy]
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)]] (pp. 226-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235 →buy]
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 16-8) [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]
*[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）]] (pp. 156-7)[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 ===

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

[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|了|A2|Subj. + Verb + 了 + Obj.|我 吃 <em>了</em> 两 个 苹果。|grammar point|ASGAGDCQ}}
{{Similar|Expressing experiences with "guo"}}
{{POS|Particles}}
{{Used for|Expressing result}}
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
{{Used for|Referring to the past}}