Lesson 9: Objects and the position of 了 with directional complements

The position of the object (place, thing) and of 了 when the verb takes a compound directional complement.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 3 · Lesson 9

我看见他走进图书馆去了。

Wǒ kànjiàn tā zǒu jìn túshūguǎn qù le.

I saw him walk into the library.

Explanation

When the verb takes an object: if the object is a place word, it must go before “来” or “去” (you can't say *我看见他走进去图书馆了; *她们一起走出去教室了; *汽车开上去山了). If the object is a thing, it can go after “来/去” or before “来/去”.

Position of “了” (1) — the verb has no object: “了” can go after the verb and before the complement, or at the end of the sentence.

Position of “了” (2) — the object is a place: “了” needs to go at the end of the sentence.

Position of “了” (3) — the object is a thing: “了” needs to go after the compound directional complement and before the object.

Structure

1
动词上/下/进/出/回/过处所宾语来/去
A place object must come before 来/去.
- 我看见他走进图书馆去了。
  Wǒ kànjiàn tā zǒu jìn túshūguǎn qù le.
  I saw him walk into the library.
- 她们一起走出教室去了。
  Tāmen yìqǐ zǒu chū jiàoshì qù le.
  They all walked out of the classroom together.
- 汽车开上山去了。
  Qìchē kāi shàng shān qù le.
  The car has driven up the mountain.
- 她走出学校去了。
  Tā zǒu chū xuéxiào qù le.
  She has walked out of the school.
- 他跑回家来了。
  Tā pǎo huí jiā lái le.
  He ran home.
2
动词趋向来/去事物宾语 · 动词趋向事物宾语来/去
An object that is a thing can go either after or before 来/去.
- 他从国外给我带回来一件礼物。
  Tā cóng guówài gěi wǒ dài huílai yí jiàn lǐwù.
  He brought me a gift back from abroad.
- 他从国外给我带回一件礼物来。
  Tā cóng guówài gěi wǒ dàihuí yí jiàn lǐwù lái.
  He brought me a gift back from abroad.
- 你看，我给你买回什么来了？
  Nǐ kàn, wǒ gěi nǐ mǎihuí shénme lái le?
  Look, guess what I bought for you and brought back?
- 你看，我给你买回来什么了？
  Nǐ kàn, wǒ gěi nǐ mǎi huílai shénme le?
  Look, guess what I bought for you and brought back?
- 姐姐从中国寄回来很多照片。
  Jiějie cóng Zhōngguó jì huílai hěn duō zhàopiàn.
  She sent back a lot of photos from China.
- 姐姐从中国寄回很多照片来。
  Jiějie cóng Zhōngguó jìhuí hěn duō zhàopiàn lái.
  She sent back a lot of photos from China.
3
“了” (1): V了趋向补语 · V复合趋向补语了 (không tân ngữ)
No object: 了 goes after the verb, before the complement, or at the end of the sentence.
- 刚一下课，同学们就都跑了出去。
  Gāng yí xiàkè, tóngxuémen jiù dōu pǎole chūqu.
  As soon as class was over, everyone ran outside.
- 刚一下课，同学们就都跑出去了。
  Gāng yí xiàkè, tóngxuémen jiù dōu pǎo chūqu le.
  As soon as class was over, everyone ran outside.
- 看见老师走进教室，大家都站了起来。
  Kànjiàn lǎoshī zǒu jìn jiàoshì, dàjiā dōu zhànle qǐlai.
  Seeing the teacher walk into the classroom, everyone stood up.
- 看见老师走进教室，大家都站起来了。
  Kànjiàn lǎoshī zǒu jìn jiàoshì, dàjiā dōu zhàn qǐlai le.
  Seeing the teacher walk into the classroom, everyone stood up.
4
“了” (2): V趋向处所宾语来/去了
Place object: 了 goes at the end of the sentence.
- 他们都爬上山去了。
  Tāmen dōu pá shàng shān qù le.
  They have all climbed up the mountain.
- 他们走下楼去了。
  Tāmen zǒu xià lóu qù le.
  They have gone downstairs.
5
“了” (3): V复合趋向补语了事物宾语
Thing object: 了 goes after the compound directional complement, before the object.
- 我给你买回来了一件羽绒服。
  Wǒ gěi nǐ mǎi huílai le yí jiàn yǔróngfú.
  I bought a down jacket for you and brought it back.
- 我给朋友寄回去了一本介绍中国的书。
  Wǒ gěi péngyou jì huíqu le yì běn jièshào Zhōngguó de shū.
  I sent you back a book introducing China.

Usage notes

A place object always goes before 来/去: 走进图书馆去, 爬上山去; you cannot say 走进去图书馆.
A thing object is flexible: 带回来一件礼物 or 带回一件礼物来.
With a place object, 了 goes at the end of the sentence; with a thing object, 了 goes after the compound complement, before the object.

Common mistakes

~~我看见她走出去图书馆了~~
我看见她走出图书馆去了
~~上课十分钟他才走进来教室~~
上课十分钟了他才走进教室
or 才进教室
~~妈妈病好了以后，我就送她回去上海了~~
妈妈病好了以后，我就送她回上海了

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