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Expressing "already" with 了 ("le")

了 le

Particle
HSK 2

Structure

Subj. + [Verb Phrase] + 了

Translations

  • already

Definition

了（le）是汉语中表示动作完成或状态变化的助词，常对应英语的“already”或完成时态。

Le (了) is an aspect particle in Chinese that indicates completion of an action or a change of state, often corresponding to English 'already' or the perfect tense.

Usage

置于动词后表示动作已完成（了1），或置于句末表示新情况出现（了2）。表示“已经”时，常与“已经”连用，但单独也足以表达完成义。

Placed after a verb to indicate action completion (le1), or at the end of a sentence to indicate a new situation (le2). When expressing 'already', it is often used with 'yijing' (已经), but alone can also denote completion.

Examples

  • 1 我已经吃了饭。 (I have already eaten.)
  • 2 他去了北京。 (He has already gone to Beijing.)
  • 3 她买了那本书。 (She has already bought that book.)
  • 4 电影开始了。 (The movie has already started.)
  • 5 我们完成了作业。 (We have already finished the homework.)
  • 6 天气变冷了。 (The weather has already turned cold.)

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