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<p>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.</p>
<h2 id="ongoing-duration-with-simple-verbs">Ongoing Duration with
Simple Verbs</h2>
<p>Expressing <a href="Expressing_duration_with_&quot;le&quot;"
title="wikilink"><em>how long</em> you did something in the
past</a> is one thing, but what if the action is still ongoing?</p>
<p>A clarifying example (in English) is appropriate:</p>
<ul>
<li>I lived in Shanghai for 5 years. (concluded, not ongoing)</li>
<li>I have lived in Shanghai for 5 years. (mostly likely
ongoing)</li>
<li>I have been living in Shanghai for 5 years. (definitely
ongoing)</li>
</ul>
<p>This article is about expressing the third situation above, the
one which is <em>definitely ongoing</em>.</p>
<h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + Verb + 了 + Duration + 了</p>
</div>
<p>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."</p>
<h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="when-the-verb-takes-an-object">When the Verb Takes an
Object</h2>
<h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3>
<p>Note that in the examples above, the verbs have no objects. When
the verb has an object, the verb is often repeated:</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + Verb + Obj. + Verb + 了 + Duration + 了</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
</ul>
</div>
<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="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed)" title=
"wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)</a> (pp.
203-4) <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="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_1" title=
"wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1</a> (pp. 13-4)
<a href=
"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=0887276792">
→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<h3 id="websites">Websites</h3>
<ul>
<li>Yale: <a href=
"http://comet.cls.yale.edu/mandarin/content/Lele/grammar/Lele.htm">The
Perfective –Le了 Versus The Modal Particle Le了</a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title=
"wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p>
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