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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 &quot;already&quot; in Chinese, and it is followed with a <a href="了" title="wikilink">了 (le)</a>. However, sometimes, that feeling of &quot;already&quot; 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 &quot;already&quot; 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">&quot;Already&quot; with &quot;yijing&quot;</a></li>
<li><a href="Expressing_&quot;not_anymore&quot;_with_&quot;le&quot;" title="wikilink">Expressing &quot;not anymore&quot; with &quot;le&quot;</a></li>
<li><a href="Uses_of_&quot;le&quot;" title="wikilink">Uses of &quot;le&quot;</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_(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&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_(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&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_(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&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>

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<p><a href="Category:_A2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category: A2 grammar points</a></p>