Lesson 27: Completion of an action: verb + 了

Use 了 after a verb to say an action has been completed; when to add 了 at the end of the sentence or in the following clause.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 2 · Lesson 27

我买了一本书。

Wǒ mǎi le yì běn shū.

I bought a book.

Explanation

Adding the aspect particle 了 after a verb expresses the completion of an action. When "V + 了" takes an object, the object needs a measure word or some other modifier before it (我买了一本书).

If there is no measure word or other modifier before the object, the modal particle 了 must be added at the end of the sentence for it to be complete (我买了书了); the sentence conveys a piece of information to draw attention to it.

If there is no measure word or other modifier before the object, and no modal particle 了 at the end of the sentence either, the object must be followed by another verb or clause, expressing a second action that happens right after the first (昨天，我买了书就回学校了).

Note: in a sentence with serial verbs, there is no 了 after the first verb.

The affirmative-negative question form is "……了没有？" or "verb + 没(有) + verb？". For the negative, add 没(有) before the verb, and don't add 了 after the verb.

Structure

1
Vverb了số lượng từ / định ngữOobject
If the object has a measure word or a modifier, 了 is not needed at the end of the sentence.
- 我买了一本书。
  Wǒ mǎi le yì běn shū.
  I bought a book.
- 他喝了一瓶啤酒。
  Tā hē le yì píng píjiǔ.
  He drank a bottle of beer.
- 我吃了一些鱼和牛肉。
  Wǒ chī le yìxiē yú hé niúròu.
  I ate some fish and beef.
- A：你喝了吗？ B：喝了。
  A: Nǐ hē le ma? B: Hē le.
  A: Have you had a drink? B: Yes, I have.
2
Vverb了Oobject了 / V了Oobject就V2verb 2
A bare object: the sentence must end with 了; or the object must be followed by another verb / clause (the second action happens right after the first).
- 我买了书了。
  Wǒ mǎi le shū le.
  I bought the book.
- 我们吃了晚饭了。
  Wǒmen chī le wǎnfàn le.
  We had dinner.
- 我喝了药了。
  Wǒ hē le yào le.
  I took my medicine.
- 昨天，我买了书就回学校了。
  Zuótiān, wǒ mǎi le shū jiù huí xuéxiào le.
  Yesterday, as soon as I bought the book, I went back to school.
- 晚上我们吃了饭就去跳舞。
  Wǎnshang wǒmen chī le fàn jiù qù tiàowǔ.
  Tonight, after we eat, we'll go dancing.
3
Câu liên động: V1OobjectV2verb 2了
Don't use 了 after the first verb.
- 他去上海参观了。
  Tā qù Shànghǎi cānguān le.
  He went to Shanghai to visit.
- 她们坐飞机去香港了。
  Tāmen zuò fēijī qù Xiānggǎng le.
  They flew to Hong Kong.
4
没(有)V / V了没有？ / V没V？
To negate, add 没(有) before the verb and don't use 了 after the verb; affirmative-negative question.
- A：他喝了吗？ B：他没(有)喝。
  A: Tā hē le ma? B: Tā méi(yǒu) hē.
  A: Has he had a drink? B: He hasn't.
- A：你吃药了没有？ B：没有吃。
  A: Nǐ chī yào le méiyǒu? B: Méiyǒu chī.
  A: Did you take your medicine? B: No, I haven't.
- A：她来了没来？ B：她没来。
  A: Tā lái le méi lái? B: Tā méi lái.
  A: Has she arrived? B: She hasn't arrived yet.
- A：你给妈妈打电话了没有？ B：打了。
  A: Nǐ gěi māma dǎ diànhuà le méiyǒu? B: Dǎ le.
  A: Did you call your mom? B: Yes, I did.
- A：你买了几张地图？ B：我没有买地图。
  A: Nǐ mǎi le jǐ zhāng dìtú? B: Wǒ méiyǒu mǎi dìtú.
  A: How many maps did you buy? B: I didn't buy any maps.

Common mistakes

Don't say: *他去了上海参观 (correct: 他去上海参观了); *她们坐了飞机去香港 (correct: 她们坐飞机去香港了).

Practice

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