Done and changed: 了
了 after a verb for what happened, and at the end for what has changed.
Chinese verbs have no tenses. 了 le, said lightly, marks two different things.
After a verb, 了 says an action happened, usually with a number or a detail on its object.
- Wǒ mǎile yì běn shū.I bought a book.
- Tā hēle sān bēi kāfēi.He drank three cups of coffee.
At the end of a sentence, 了 says something has changed: a new situation.
- Xià yǔ le.It's started raining.
- Wǒ è le.I'm hungry now.
- Tā èrshí suì le.He's twenty now.
- Wǒ bù xiǎng qù le.I don't want to go any more.
Often one 了 does both: 他走了 "he's left".
Not every past
Habits and states in the past take no 了: 我以前住在上海 "I used to live in Shanghai". To say something didn't happen, use 没 and leave 了 out: 我没去.
- Wǒ yǐqián zhù zài Shànghǎi.I used to live in Shanghai.
About to happen
要……了 and 快……了 say something is about to happen.
- Yào xià yǔ le.It's going to rain.
- Huǒchē kuài dào le.The train is nearly here.
Two 了
With one 了 after the verb and another at the end, the time still runs: 我学了三年汉语了 "I've been studying Chinese for three years" (and still am).
Cards from this guide
10 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Verbs cards.
How do you say "I bought a book"?
我买了一本书。
What does 了 at the end of 下雨了 say?
That something has changed: it has started raining.
How do you say "I'm hungry" when you've just got hungry?
我饿了。
What is the negative of 我去了?
我没去, without 了.
How do you say "I don't want to go any more"?
我不想去了。
How do you say "It's about to rain"?
要下雨了。
Does "I used to live in Shanghai" take 了?
No: 我以前住在上海。
How is 了 said after a verb or at the end of a sentence?
le, in the neutral tone.
How do you say "I'm nearly there"?
我快到了。
How do you say "I've been living in Beijing for five years" (and still am)?
我在北京住了五年了。