▎了1, le, (Ptc), Completed Action (1)

 

Function The verbal 了 is added after the verb to indicate that an action or instance was completed or had taken place. Compare the following.

我買了三張車票。 vs. 我買三張車票。

Wǒ mǎile sān zhāng chēpiào. vs. Wǒ mǎi sān zhāng chēpiào.

I bought three tickets.／I buy three tickets.

1 我剛在便利商店喝了咖啡。

Wǒ gāng zài biànlì shāngdiàn hēle kāfēi.

I just had coffe at a convenience store.

2 我昨天吃了很多東西。

Wǒ zuótiān chīle hěn duō dōngxi.

I ate a lot of stuff yesterday.

3 今天早上我寫了一封信。

Jīntiān zǎoshàng wǒ xiěle yì fēng xìn.

I wrote a letter this morning.

4 他租了一個漂亮的房子。

Tā zūle yí ge piàoliàng de fángzi.

He rented a beautiful house.

 

Structures

Negation：The negation is marked by the negation marker 沒（有）méi (yǒu) before the verb. Note that the verbal 了 has been deleted in negative sentences.

1 我今天沒吃午餐。

Wǒ jīntiān méi chī wǔcān.

I didn’t eat lunch today.

2 我最近很忙，一星期都沒看電視。

Wǒ zuìjìn hěn máng, yì xīngqí dōu méi kàn diànshì.

I have been very busy lately. I have not watched TV for a week.

3 昨天跟朋友去過生日，所以我沒寫功課 。

Zuótiān gēn péngyǒu qù guò shēngrì, suǒyǐ wǒ méi xiě gōngkè.

Yesterday, I went to celebrate my friend’s birthday so I did not do the homework.

Questions：To ask a question, 沒有méi yǒu is added at the end of the sentence.

1 弟弟吃了午餐沒有？

Dìdi chīle wǔcān méi yǒu?

Did little brother eat his lunch?

2 下個月的學費，他付了沒有？

Xià ge yuè de xuéfèi, tā fùle méi yǒu?

Did he pay the tuition for next month?

3 今晚的籃球比賽開始了沒有？

Jīnwǎn de lánqiú bǐsài kāishǐle méi yǒu?

Has tonight’s basketball game started yet?

 

Usage Note that the verbal 了 does not appear in negative sentences.

Wrong: ／ Correct:

＊我沒吃了晚飯。／我沒吃晚飯。

＊Wǒ méi chīle wǎnfàn.／Wǒ méi chī wǎnfàn.

I didn’t have dinner.

＊我沒買了車票。／我沒買車票。

＊Wǒ méi mǎi le chēpiào.／Wǒ méi mǎi chēpiào.

I didn’t buy tickets.