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ParticlesHSK 3

Expressing "already" with just 了

The particle 了 at the end of a sentence can indicate that something has already happened or a new situation has emerged, often translating to "already" in English. Be careful not to confuse it with 了 placed after a verb to mark a completed action; here, the 了 goes at the very end of the sentence.

Structure

Subj. + Verb Phrase + 了

Examples

  • 他走了。
    Tā zǒu le .
    He has (already) left.
  • 我们有车了。
    Wǒmen yǒu chē le .
    We (already) have a car.
  • 他知道了。
    Tā zhīdào le .
    He (already) knows.
  • 我问了。
    Wǒ wèn le .
    I've (already) asked.

Words that use this