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- <p>了 (le) has many uses. You probably first learned 了 (le) as a <a href="particle" class="uri" title="wikilink">particle</a> that tells you <a href="expressing_completion_with_"le"" title="wikilink">an action is completed</a>, which is also known as "了1." However, this article is not about that use of 了 (le); instead, it is about indicating a <em>change of state</em> (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.</p>
- <h2 id="structure">Structure</h2>
- <p>When used in this way, 了(le) is placed at the end of the sentence to indicate a new situation.</p>
- <div class="jiegou">
- <p>[New Situation] + 了</p>
- </div>
- <h2 id="examples">Examples</h2>
- <div class="liju">
- <ul>
- <li>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></li>
- <li>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></li>
- <li>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></li>
- <li>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></li>
- <li>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></li>
- <li>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></li>
- <li>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></li>
- <li>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></li>
- <li>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></li>
- <li>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></li>
- </ul>
- </div>
- <h2 id="too-general">Too General?</h2>
- <p>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).</p>
- <p>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 <a href="Expressing_"now"_with_"le"" title="wikilink">"now"</a>, <a href="Expressing_"already"_with_just_"le"" title="wikilink">"already"</a>, or <a href="Expressing_"not_anymore"_with_"le"" title="wikilink">"not anymore"</a>. 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.</p>
- <h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2>
- <ul>
- <li><a href="Expressing_"now"_with_"le"" title="wikilink">Expressing "now" with "le"</a></li>
- <li><a href="Expressing_"already"_with_"le"" title="wikilink">Expressing "already" with "le"</a></li>
- <li><a href="Expressing_"not_anymore"_with_"le"" title="wikilink">Expressing "not anymore" with "le"</a></li>
- <li><a href="Uses_of_"le"" 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&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&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&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&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&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0520066103">→buy</a></li>
- <li><a href="New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_2_(新实用汉语课本2)" 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&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297">→buy</a></li>
- <li><a href="New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_3_(新实用汉语课本3)" 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&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&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&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709">→buy</a></li>
- <li><a href="40_Lessons_for_Basic_Chinese_Course_(基础汉语40课上册）" 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&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&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> </p>
- <p><a href="Category:_A2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category: A2 grammar points</a></p>
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