HSK 1
Correct
了1 vs 了2
/ le vs le /
Strokes
Formula
1
Verb +（Object）+ 了(2)
2
Verb + Complement +（Object）+ 了(2)
3
没 + Verb
4
（还）没 + Verb +（+……）+ 呢
5
……了(1) + 吗（没有）？
6
Verb + 了(1) + Attributive (Quantity phrase/Noun/Adjective) + Object
7
Verb + 了(1) + Objective + 了(2)
8
Verb1 + Object + Verb 2 + Object + 了(2)
9
Verb1 + 了(1)……（就）Verb2
10
Verb +（了1）+ 多少 +（+ Object）+ 了(2)
11
……Verb + 了(1)…… 就……
12
Verb/Adjective + 了(2)
13
Verb +（……）+ 了(2)
14
就要……了(2)
15
快要…...了(2)
16
要……了(2)
17
快……了(2)
Definition
了1 (Aspect Particle, 动态助词) and 了2 (Modal particle, 语气助词):
了1:
1, 了1 indicates the completion of an action;
the negative form of "Verb + 了1" --> "没 + Verb"
吃了饭 -->没吃饭
了2:
2, 了2 indicates a change;
2.1, A change that has occurred;
2.2, A change that is going to take place;
了2:
3, 了2 used to express a tone, indicates the completion of the sentence;
3.1, It is used at the end of the declarative sentence to soften the tone;
3.2, It is used at the end of an exclamative sentence to enhance the tone.
Example
了1 is an aspect particle used to express the completion of an action.
了1 is used after a verb to express the completion of an action.
1) If there is not a result complement in the sentence, it indicates that the event has happened with the possibility of completion or not. eg, 尼克写作业了，可是没写完.
2) "（还）没 + Verb +（+……）+ 呢", is often used for an unfulfilled intention. eg,我买了课本，玛丽还没买呢.
3) When something has happened, "Verb + 了 + Objective + 了" can be used to indicate the completion of the action. eg, 我吃了晚饭了.
1) If there is not a result complement in the sentence, it indicates that the event has happened with the possibility of completion or not. eg, 尼克写作业了，可是没写完.
2) "（还）没 + Verb +（+……）+ 呢", is often used for an unfulfilled intention. eg,我买了课本，玛丽还没买呢.
3) When something has happened, "Verb + 了 + Objective + 了" can be used to indicate the completion of the action. eg, 我吃了晚饭了.
Verb +（Object）+ 了(2)
Verb + Complement +（Object）+ 了(2)
没 + Verb
（还）没 + Verb +（+……）+ 呢
……了(1) + 吗（没有）？
Verb + 了(1) + Attributive (Quantity phrase/Noun/Adjective) + Object
Verb + 了(1) + Objective + 了(2)
Verb1 + Object + Verb 2 + Object + 了(2)
1
A
A
:
chīfàn
吃饭
le
了
ma
吗
?
B
B
:
chī
吃
le
了
。
/
méi
没
chī
吃
。
A: Did you have a meal? B: Yes. / No.
2
Dàwèi
大卫
hé
和
Níkè
尼克
dōu
都
xiě
写
zuòyè
作业
le
了
,
dàwèi
大卫
xiě
写
wán
完
le
了
,
Níkè
尼克
hái
还
méi
没
xiě
写
wán
完
ne
呢
。
David and Nick both did homework, David finished homework, but Nick hasn't finished yet.
3
Wǒ
我
hē
喝
le
了
yī
一
bēi
杯
niúnǎi
牛奶
。
I drank a glass of milk.
4
Mǎlì
玛丽
qù
去
chāoshì
超市
mǎi
买
shuǐguǒ
水果
le
了
。
Mary went to the supermarket to buy some fruit.
了1 is an aspect particle used to express the completion of an action.
了1 is not used if an action happens habitually or regularly.
了1 is not used if the verb expresses a mental activity such as 喜欢, 想念, 欣赏 or 佩服.
了1 is not used if the verb expresses a mental activity such as 喜欢, 想念, 欣赏 or 佩服.
5
Zhèxiē
这些
nián
年
māma
妈妈
chángcháng
常常
qù
去
lǚyóu
旅游
。
Mom often goes traveling these years.
6
Wǒ
我
xǐhuan
喜欢
xuéxí
学习
hànyǔ
汉语
。
I like learning Chinese.
了1 is an aspect particle used to express the completion of an action.
1)了 indicates completion in the past. It can also indicate the expected or supposed completion in the future. The pattern ……Verb + 了…… 就…… is often used.
2) In the pattern "Verb1 + 了……（就）Verb2", if the verb1 goes with an object, the object can be a simple form. Here the object is not the key point of the meaning of the sentence.
3)The difference between "verb + 了+ measure word + object " and " verb (了) + measure word + (object)+ 了" is that the first indicates that the event has happened and completed while the latter indicates that part of the event has completed or the event has been happening for a period of time and it is likely to continue.
2) In the pattern "Verb1 + 了……（就）Verb2", if the verb1 goes with an object, the object can be a simple form. Here the object is not the key point of the meaning of the sentence.
3)The difference between "verb + 了+ measure word + object " and " verb (了) + measure word + (object)+ 了" is that the first indicates that the event has happened and completed while the latter indicates that part of the event has completed or the event has been happening for a period of time and it is likely to continue.
Verb1 + 了(1)……（就）Verb2
Verb +（了1）+ 多少 +（+ Object）+ 了(2)
……Verb + 了(1)…… 就……
7
Wǒ
我
dǎsuàn
打算
chī
吃
le
了
wǎnfàn
晚饭
jiù
就
qù
去
kàn
看
diànyǐng
电影
。
After dinner, I plan to watch a movie.
8
Mǎlì
玛丽
xué
学
le
了
sì
四
gè
个
yuè
月
hànyǔ
汉语
le
了
。
Mary has learnt Chinese for four months.
了2 is a modal particle used to express a change or the tone of a sentence.
It is used to express a change in climate, season or state of somebody or something that has already happened. That is, it is used to express the meaning "it was not …in the past, but it is now" .
Verb/Adjective + 了(2)
Verb +（……）+ 了(2)
9
Xiàyǔ
下雨
le
了
。
It's raining now.
10
Jīnnián
今年
tā
他
10
10
suì
岁
le
了
。
He is 10 years old this year.
了2 is a modal particle used to express a change or the tone of a sentence.
The following structures with 了 are often used to express a change that is going to take place: 就要……了, 快要…...了, 要……了, 快……了, etc.
就要……了(2)
快要…...了(2)
要……了(2)
快……了(2)
11
Jiùyào
就要
bìyè
毕业
le
了
,
nǐmen
你们
yǒu
有
shénme
什么
dǎsuàn
打算
?
Soon to graduate, what's your plan?
12
Yào
要
kǎoshì
考试
le
了
,
nǐ
你
yào
要
rènzhēn
认真
fùxí
复习
ā
啊
!
The exams are coming, you should review seriously.
了2 is a modal particle used to express a change or the tone of a sentence.
1, used to express the tone of a sentence,
2, placed at the end of a declarative sentence to soften the tone,
3, placed at the end of an exclamative sentence to enhance the tone.
2, placed at the end of a declarative sentence to soften the tone,
3, placed at the end of an exclamative sentence to enhance the tone.
13
Nǐ
你
bùyào
不要
zài
再
kū
哭
le
了
!
Don't cry.
14
Zhèlǐ
这里
de
的
fēngjǐng
风景
tài
太
piàoliang
漂亮
le
了
!
The view here is really beautiful!
Mistake
我每天早上吃饭了。（X）
每天, 经常, and 常常 are all regular things, so 了 cannot be used with what happens often.
我买了书。（X）
了(1) to express the completion of the action, it can not be directly followed by the object, the object must be preceded by an attributive, which can be a quantity phrase, noun, adjective, etc.
If the following of 了 is a simple object, the sentence is not complete, generally to add other components after the object, can be a clause.
Exercise
Complete the following sentences with 了:
A1：小明, 做完作业才可以出来玩儿, 你怎么现在就出来了？
B1：妈妈, 我已经（ ）。
A2：这件事你听说了吗？
B2：（ ） ，小丽告诉我的。
A3：你吃饭了吗？
B3：已经（ ），在食堂吃的。
4. 以前我没有自己的电脑，现在（ ） ，前两天买的。
5. 冬天（ ），你该穿羽绒服了。
6. 这个房间（ ），我们需要大点儿的。
7. 小明身高 一 米九，他在他们班（ ）。 （高）
8. 妈妈每天从早工作到晚，她（ ）。 （累）