6. 语法 Grammar
了 as Aspect Particle (动态助词)
When the particle 了 (le) is added after a verb, it is known as
“aspect particle”.Verb +了
The aspect particle 了 expresses the completion of an action. A
completed action may take place in the past, present, or future
and a time word or phrase is used to express this.
Past
他看了一本书。
Tā kàn le yī běn shū.
He read a book.
Future
到了中国,给我写一封信。
Dào le Zhōngguó, gěi wǒ xiě yī fēng xìn.
Once you arrive in China, write me a letter.
7. 语法 Grammar
When 了represents a change of situation
了 placed at the end of a phrase indicates a change of
situation or a new condition. In this case,了 becomes a
modal particle.
下雨了。
Xià yǔ le.
It began to rain (the particle 了 implies that it wasn’t
raining before and at the moment of the wording it is).
8. 语法 Grammar
Here are some other examples:
他瘦了。
Tā shòu le.
He lost weight.
车来了。
Chē lái le. .
The bus came.
我决定不跟他说话了。
Wǒ juédìng bù gēn tā shuōhuà le.
I decided not to speak to him anymore.
别哭了。
Bié kū le.
Don’t cry anymore.
9. 语法 Grammar
When 了expresses the meaning “already/by now”
The particle 了 can be used with adverbs such as yǐjing (已经) and dōu (都)
(when this last one is used with value of “already/by now”) to express a phrase that
implies the meaning of “already/by now”.
都九点了。
Dōu jiǔ diǎn le.
It’s already 9.
他学中文已经四年了
Tā xué zhōngwén yǐjing sì nián le.
He’s been learning Chinese for four years already.
Note that the adverbs yǐjing (已经) and dōu(都) when used with the value of
“already/by now”, can be omitted without affecting the meaning of the phrase.
他七十岁了
Tā qī shí suì le.
He’s already seven years old.