了 (completion)

• Pinyin: le
• Formation: Subject + Verb + 了 + (Numeral + Measure Word) + Object

Meaning

The particle 了 (le) placed after a verb indicates that an action has been completed. It marks a change of state or signals that something has happened.

Verb + 了 is one of the most fundamental and versatile structures in Chinese. When 了 appears directly after a verb, it functions as an aspect marker indicating completion rather than a tense marker — the completed action can be in the past, present, or future. A second use of 了 at the end of a sentence indicates a change of state or new situation. Learners often confuse 了 with a past tense marker, but it is important to understand that 了 can also appear in sentences about the future. Negation of completed actions uses 没(有) and drops 了 entirely.

Examples

1. 我吃了两碗米饭。 I ate two bowls of rice.
2. 她买了一条新裙子。 She bought a new skirt.
3. 他们搬了三次家。 They moved house three times.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 我已经吃了午饭。
• 她昨天看了一部电影。
• 我们走了很长的路。
• 他刚才给你打了电话。

Don't Say

• 我没有吃了午饭。(Use 没有 without 了 for negation — 没有 already implies the action did not complete) → 我没有吃午饭。
• 你昨天吃了饭了吗？(Avoid using both verb-了 and sentence-final 了 with 吗 in a simple past question — one 了 at the end is sufficient) → 你昨天吃饭了吗？

Origin & History

The completion marker 了 developed from the verb 了 (liǎo) meaning 'to finish' or 'to conclude.' Through grammaticalization, it lost its lexical meaning and became a grammatical particle signaling completed action or change of state.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal