*ENGLISH Chinese Study Course 英語で学ぶ中国語講座

⑤Particle "了"

2023年2月20日

【広告】RAKUTEN

Chinese Study Course
Chinese Study Course

You can naturally acquire knowledge of Chinese grammar in a short period by lying down at home and reading our contents looking at your mobile phone or tablet.

➀Basic Pronouns in Chinese
➀Basic Pronouns in Chinese

In Chinese the nominative and objective cases of personal pronouns have the same shape. Let's see personal , possessive, demonstrative & interrogative pronouns.

➁Modification of Nouns in Chinese
➁Modification of Nouns in Chinese

When modifying nouns with other nouns, use the Structural particle "的" as noun + "的" + noun, as in "老师的词典". Also use it for phrases and sentences like "向海关提交的".

③Verb Usage "是/喜欢"
③Verb Usage "是/喜欢"

Basic usage of verbs, How to form interrogative sentences, Separate verbs that combines the verb and the object into one and separates unique to Chinese.

④Verb Usage "有/在"
④Verb Usage "有/在"

In Lesson 4, we will study how to use the unique verb "有" (Possession, 「A有B.( A have B. )」 & Existence, 「P有B.」 ) and "在"(Location, 「A在P.」) in Chinese in detail.

⑤Particle "了"
⑤Particle "了"

Explains in detail the difference between the usage of aspect particle "了" and speech particle "了". Aspect particle "了" is used immediately after the verb. V +了.

⑥Particle "过"&"着"
⑥Particle "过"&"着"

Aspect particle "过" expresses "completion/conclusion of experience or action". "着" follows verbs in which movement is still and indicates a sustained state.

⑦Result Complement
⑦Result Complement

A "result complement" is a complement that expresses the result of an action. It is used in the form of "verb + result complement". Ex:) understand by listening.

⑧Directional Complement
⑧Directional Complement

A directional complement is a complement that indicates the direction in which an action is performed or the direction in which a state progresses. Ex: 走+进+教室

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Chinese Study Course
➀Basic Pronouns in Chinese
➁Modification of Nouns in Chinese
③Verb Usage "是/喜欢"
④Verb Usage "有/在"
⑤Particle "了"
⑥Particle "过"&"着"
⑦Result Complement
⑧Directional Complement
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Chinese Study Course [ Lesson5 ]

Goyan
Goyan

Hello everyone. I'm Goyan. In Lesson 5, we will study how to use Chinese aspect particle "了" and speech particle "了". Do you know how to use these particles? Don't worry because we can study them in detail now.

5-1 Aspect Particle "了"

(1) What is the Aspect Particle "了" ?

Aspect particle "了"

  • In the form of 'verb + 了', "了" is used immediately after the verb to indicate the realization or completion of an act or a motion.
  • This "了" is called "Aspect particle". It represents the realization or completion of the act or the motion, not the past tense.
  • Be careful, in Chinese, the difference between past, present, and future tenses is judged from the context and sentence modifiers. So there is no past tense. This does not indicates past tense.
Goyan
Goyan

For example, when saying "I bought two books" in Chinese, the important concern of the speaker or listener is not the tense of the present or the past, but whether the action is realized or completed.

(2) How to Use the Aspect Particle "了"

 ➀Affirmative form
I have/had bought two Chinese dictionary in the bookstore.
我在书店买了两本日汉词典。
wǒ zài shū diàn mǎi le liǎng běn rì hàn cí diǎn 。
◆Detailed explanation
我(subject)+在书店(prepositional phrase, place)+买(verb)+了(aspect particle)+两本日汉词典(object)。
・在书店(prepositional phrase, place)➡在(preposition)+书店(noun)
・两本日汉词典(object)➡两(number)+本(quantifier)+日汉词典(noun)

※在
When used as a verb
➡Verb「在」:小王在哪儿?(Where is Xiao Wang?)小王(subject)+在(verb)+哪儿(demonstrative pronoun, place)?
(We have already studied in Lesson 4!)

When used as a preposition
➡preposition「在」:我+在(preposition)+书店+买(verb)+了+两本日汉词典。
The preposition "在" is used as "在 + a noun indicating a place".
◆Vocabulary note
买   :(verb)buy
本   :(quantifier) A quantifier that counts the number of books, magazines, pamphlets, account books, etc.
日汉词典:(noun)日中辞書
After having finished class tomorrow, I'll go to you.
明天下了课,我去找你。
míng tiān xià le kè ,wǒ qù zhǎo nǐ 。
◆Detailed explanation
明天(time)+下(verb)+了(aspect particle)+课(object),+我(subject)+去(verb)+找你(Verbal phrase, object of verb「去」)。

※As talking about tomorrow, "明天下了课" shows the future completion.
◆Vocabulary note
课 :(noun) class
去 :(verb) go
找 :(verb) visit
He have/had written two letters.
他写了两封信。
tā xiě le liǎng fēng xìn 。
◆Detailed explanation
他(subject)+写(verb)+了(aspect particle)+两封信(object)。
・两封信(object)➡两(number)+封(quantifier)+信(noun)
◆Vocabulary note
写:(verb) write
封:(quantifier) A quantifier that counts the number of seals, such as letters, telegrams, and official documents
信:(noun) letter
 ◆Advanced Study 他写了信了。
Goyan
Goyan

When the story is vague, such as "I have written a letter," it is necessary to add more "了" at the end of the sentence.
This is called a "speech particle" that is attached to the end of the sentence. This "了" is a particle that shows confirmation of completion. We will study it next lesson in detail.

He has written a letter.
他写了信了。
tā xiě le xìn le 。
◆Detailed explanation
他(subject)+写(verb)+了(aspect particle)+信(object)+了(speech particle)。
 ➁Negative form
Goyan
Goyan

The negative form uses "没有/没", and "了" disappears. Please note that we do not use the adverb "不" that indicates the negative.

Had she come on Sunday? She didn't have come.
她星期日来了没有? 她没有来。
tā xīng qī rì lái le méi yǒu ? tā méi yǒu lái 。
◆Detailed explanation
她(subject)+星期日(time)+来(verb)+了(aspect particle)+没有(adverb, question)? 她(subject)+没有(adverb, negative)+来(verb)。

※没有
When indicating the negative form of the verb "有"
➡Adverb「没有」+verb「在」:我没有电脑。(I do not have a computer.)我(subject)+没(adverb, negative)+有(verb)+电脑(object)。
(We have already studied in Lesson 4!)

When indicating the negative form of the realization or completion of the act or the motion by using the aspect particle "了"
➡Adverb「没有」+verb:她+没有(adverb, negative)+来(verb)。("了" disappears.)

When showing the question of the realization or completion of the act or the motion by using the aspect particle "了"
➡Adverb「没有」that make up questions are placed at the end of the sentence.
她星期日来了+没有(adverb, question)?

There are various ways to use this adverb "没有". I'll do my best to make my understanding.

Chappy
Chappy
 ③Interrogative form (Question)
Goyan
Goyan

The questions have the following three forms:
Let's say "Have you read the newspaper this morning?"

 (ⅰ) Add "吗? (speech particle, question)" at the end of a sentence
Have you read the newspaper this morning?
早上你看了新闻吗? 
zǎo shàng nǐ kàn le xīn wén ma ?
◆Detailed explanation
早上(time)+你(subject)+看(verb)+了(aspect particle)+新闻(object)+吗(speech particle, question)?
◆Vocabulary note
早上:(noun) morning
看 :(verb) read, watch
新闻:(object) newspaper
 (ⅱ) Add "没有? (adverb, question)" at the end of a sentence
Have you read the newspaper this morning?
早上你看了新闻没有? 
zǎo shàng nǐ kàn le xīn wén méi yǒu ?
◆Detailed explanation
早上(time)+你(subject)+看(verb)+了(aspect particle)+新闻(object)+没有(adverb, question)?
 (ⅲ) Repeated question("了" disappears.)
Goyan
Goyan

Repeated questions are questions that use the positive and negative forms of verbs/adjectives side by side. Repeated questions do not use the aspect particle "了"

Have you read the newspaper this morning?
早上你看没看新闻?
zǎo shàng nǐ kàn méi kàn xīn wén ?
◆Detailed explanation
早上(time)+你(subject)+看没看(Repeated question/[Affirmative form + Negative form])+新闻(object)?

 

5-2 Speech Particle "了"

(1) What is the Speech Particle "了" ?

Speech particle "了"

  • "了" at the end of a sentence is called "Speech particle". There are 3 ways to use it:
  • Acknowledgment of completion (a tone of confirmation that something has already happened)
  • Change of situation (a tone indicating that the situation has changed)
  • Occurrence of a new situation (a tone that expresses the occurrence of a new situation, used at the end of an affirmative sentence)

(2) How to use the Speech Particle "了" ?

 ➀Acknowledgment of completion
  • To give a concrete explanation of the tone of the phrase "confirmation of completion," for example, when asking, "What did you eat?" is used to check unknown content and communicate it.
  • Regarding "I ate Chinese steamed buns.", when the content of the action/action is already known (when it is already clear in the flow of the story), for example, "How many Chinese buns did you eat?" When the story is developed, use the form of "verb + aspect particle 了''.
 (ⅰ) When to use the speech particle "了"
What did you eat? I ate Chinese steamed buns.
你吃什么了? 我吃包子了。
nǐ chī shén me le ? wǒ chī bāo zǐ le 。
◆Detailed explanation
你(subject)+吃(verb)+什么(object/interrogative pronoun)+了(speech particle, completion)? 我(subject)+吃(verb)+包子(object)+了(speech particle, completion)。
 (ⅱ) When to use the aspect particle "了"
How many Chinese steamed buns have you eaten? I ate three buns.
你吃了几个包子? 我吃了三个包子。
nǐ chī le jǐ gè bāo zǐ ? wǒ chī le sān gè bāo zǐ 。
◆Detailed explanation
你(subject)+吃(verb)+了(aspect particle)+几个包子(object)?  我(subject)+吃(verb)+了(aspect particle)+三个包子(object)。
◆Vocabulary note
几:(pronoun) (asking for a number less than 10) How many, How much
个:(quantifier) (to count pieces) pieces
 ➁Change of situation
  • For example, you can use it when to say your friend's changing situation such that she is now a lawyer.
  • Besides this, it can be used when to say your changed situation such that you will not attend a meeting that you were planning to attend.
Now she is a lawyer.
现在她是律师了。
xiàn zài tā shì lǜ shī le 。
◆Detailed explanation
现在(time)+她(subject)+是(verb)+律师(object)+了(speech particle, changed situation)。
I will not attend tomorrow's banquet.
明天的宴会我不参加了。
míng tiān de yàn huì wǒ bù cān jiā le 。
◆Detailed explanation
明天的宴会(title)+我(subject)+不(adverb/negation)+参加(verb)+了(speech particle, changed situation)。
 ◆Advanced Study Syntax with Title
Goyan
Goyan

The part that says "明天的宴会" in "明天的宴会我不参加了。" is called the "Title". In the flow of the story, the sentence form that puts the "title" of the topic at the beginning of the sentence is called "Syntax with Title". It is used in the form of "title + subject + predicate".

I don't know the details.
详细情况我不知道。
xiáng xì qíng kuàng wǒ bù zhī dào 。
◆Detailed explanation
详细情况(title)+我(subject)+不(adverb/negation)+知道(verb)。
 ③Occurrence of a new situation
  • It is used when a new situation arises, such as you need to go to the barber because your hair has grown.
Hair is long, it's time for a haircut.
头发长了,该理发了。
tóu fā zhǎng le ,gāi lǐ fā le 。
◆Detailed explanation
头发(subject)+长(adjective)+了(speech particle, new situation),(subject omission)+该(auxiliary verb)+理发(verb)+了(speech particle, new situation)。
◆Vocabulary note
头发:(noun) hair
长 :(adjective) long
该 :(auxiliary verb) have to ・・・
理发:(verb) hair cut
GOYAN
GOYAN

Do you understand the two usages of the speech particle "了"?
It might have been a little difficult. Anyway, as you continue to study Chinese, I think you will naturally learn the difference between the usage of aspect particles and linguistic particles. See you next!

I have just finished studying 'verb + 了'. See you!

Chappy
Chappy

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