How to Use le 了 for Change and Completion (HSK 1)
June 24, 2021
The Chinese grammar particle le 了 has several different uses. Below, we will discuss how to use le 了 to indicate a change, how to use le 了 to show a completed action, and a fixed le 了 structure to express a feeling of excess/extremes. These le 了 structures are typically found in HSK 1.
1. Change Le 了
The grammar particle le 了 appears at the end of a sentence to emphasize a change in state or situation. Here are some examples of “change le 了” grammar:
你女儿几岁了？
Nǐ nǚ'ér jǐ suìle?
How old is your daughter?
In this question, the particle le 了 emphasizes a change in the daughter’s age. Children are always growing, so their age does not remain the same. The daughter has aged since you last asked her age.
几点了？
Jǐ diǎnle?
What time is it?
As with the above example, le 了 here emphasizes a change in time. Time is constantly changing, so le 了 here emphasizes the time change. The time has changed since you last looked at the clock.
下雨了。
Xià yǔle.
It is raining.
Finally, here le 了 indicates a change in the weather. For example, it was not raining earlier, but is raining now (meaning it has started to rain since you last checked).
2. Completion Le 了
The grammar particle le 了 is used at the end* of a sentence to indicate that the verb (or action word) of the sentence is complete. Here are some examples of “completion le 了” grammar:
我喝咖啡了。
Wǒ hē kāfēile.
I drank coffee.
In this sentence, le 了 indicates that the verb hē 喝 (to drink) is finished. You drank the coffee in the past and are no longer drinking coffee now.
我买苹果了。
Wǒ mǎi píngguǒle.
I bought apples.
Like the above example, le 了 shows that the verb mǎi 买 (to buy) is complete. You bought the apples in the past; the action of buying them is done.
When including an amount or quantity in the sentence, le 了 changes its position, moving to immediately after the verb. For example:
我喝了一杯咖啡。
Wǒ hēle yībēi kāfēi.
I drank one cup of coffee.
Adding the amount of “one cup” to the sentence causes the particle le 了 to move to right after the verb hē 喝.
我买了不少的苹果。
Wǒ mǎile bù shǎo de píngguǒ.
I bought quite a few apples.
Like above, adding the quantifier “quite a few” causes le 了 to move to right after the verb mǎi 买.
3. 太+adjective+了
This use of le 了 is a fixed structure, meaning it will never change. This le 了 structure is used to express a degree or excess or extremity. You can use both positive and negative adjective in this structure. For example:
太漂亮了！
Tài piàoliang le!
So pretty!
太热了！
Tài rè le!
It’s so hot!
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About the Author
Eden has been learning Chinese since 2008. She fell in love with the language, food, and culture and never looked back! Eden lived in China for six years, including in Harbin, Beijing, and Dali.
