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- {{Grammar Box}}
- {{AKA|了2|change-of-state 了|sentence 了|modal 了}}
- 了 (le) has many uses. You probably first learned 了 (le) as a [[particle]] that tells you [[expressing completion with "le"|an action is completed]], 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 [[Expressing "now" with "le"|"now"]], [[Expressing "already" with just "le"|"already"]], or [[Expressing "not anymore" with "le"|"not anymore"]]. 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 "already" with "le"]]
- * [[Expressing "not anymore" with "le"]]
- * [[Uses of "le"]]
- == Sources and further reading ==
- === Books ===
- * [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (p. 68) [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. 126-9) [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]
- * [[Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar]] (pp. 238-99) [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 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 217-8) [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]
- * [[New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)]] (pp. 64-5) [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]
- * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (p. 8) [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]
- *[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）]] (p. 239)[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 ===
- * Chinesegrammar.info: [http://chinesegrammar.info/particles/le-grammar-summary/ Chinese le grammar summary (了)]
- [[Category: A2 grammar points]]
- {{Rel char|了}}
- {{Used for|Expressing result}}
- {{Used for|Referring to changes of situation}}
- {{Used for|Indicating conditions}}
- {{Similar|Uses of "le"}}
- {{Basic Grammar|了|A2|⋯⋯了|我 25 岁 <em>了</em>。|grammar point|ASGT185D}}
- {{POS|Particles}}
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