Sentence-final 了 (change of state) · ⋯⋯了(变化)
Hunger becomes a new situation
- You were not hungry before, but now want food.
- 我饿了。 — Final 了 marks hunger as a new relevant state.
Hunger becomes a new situation
- You were not hungry before, but now want food.
- I / me我to be hungry饿(completed / change)了。 — Final (completed / change)了 marks hunger as a new relevant state.
You were not hungry before, but now want food. What does 我饿了。 communicate?
Final 了 marks hunger as a new relevant state. This 了 does not mean finished being hungry. Verb-了 marks perfective aspect in other uses; do not translate every 了 as a past-tense or completed-action ending.
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is Sentence-final 了 (change of state). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
rain下雨了。
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is Sentence-final (completed / change)了 (change of state). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
rain下雨了。
Using the lesson pattern in this demonstrated example: It's raining now: 下雨 ____。
Sentence-final 了 = a new situation: 下雨了 (it's raining now). · 句末 了 = 新情况:下雨了。
Read examples in context
I我hungry饿了。
- In the opening example, 我饿了。: Final 了 marks hunger as a new relevant state.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
Read examples in context
I我hungry饿了。
- In the opening example, I / me我to be hungry饿(completed / change)了。: Final (completed / change)了 marks hunger as a new relevant state.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
What does the sentence-final 了 signal? · 句末的 了 表示什么?
It marks “now it's different”: 我饿了 (I'm hungry now). · 它表示“现在不一样了”:我饿了。
Build: “I'm hungry now.” · 排一排:“我饿了。”
Subj + Adj + 了: 我 + 饿 + 了 (= I've gotten hungry). · 主语 + 形容词 + 了:我 + 饿 + 了。
Know the boundary
- This 了 does not mean finished being hungry.
- Verb-了 marks perfective aspect in other uses; do not translate every 了 as a past-tense or completed-action ending.
Know the boundary
- This (completed / change)了 does not mean finished being hungry.
- Verb-(completed / change)了 marks perfective aspect in other uses; do not translate every (completed / change)了 as a past-tense or completed-action ending.
This 了 only ever marks a completed action, never a change. · 这个 了 只表示动作完成,绝不表示变化。
Sentence-final 了 marks a CHANGE / new situation: 他走了. · 句末 了 表示变化 / 新情况:他走了。
我饿了 means that being hungry has finished.
This 了 does not mean finished being hungry. Verb-了 marks perfective aspect in other uses; do not translate every 了 as a past-tense or completed-action ending. Final 了 marks hunger as a new relevant state.
Use the distinction
- Final 了 marks hunger as a new relevant state.
- This 了 does not mean finished being hungry. Verb-了 marks perfective aspect in other uses; do not translate every 了 as a past-tense or completed-action ending.
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Particles.
Use the distinction
- Final (completed / change)了 marks hunger as a new relevant state.
- This (completed / change)了 does not mean finished being hungry. Verb-(completed / change)了 marks perfective aspect in other uses; do not translate every (completed / change)了 as a past-tense or completed-action ending.
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Particles.