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How to Use 了: Action Complete

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IN THIS LESSON
ID: 7433 Elementary
Today we attempt to tackle the often asked question on how to use the seemingly simple character, 了(le). 了 (le) has many uses but in this first video we look at the "Action Complete 了”. Tune in next week for the next episode. Check out Chinese Grammar Wiki for even more examples.
Constance Fang,Fiona Tian
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SIMPLIFIED PINYIN ENGLISH  
了表示动作完成
le 了biǎoshì 表示dòngzuò 动作wánchéng 完成
le: indicates action complete
动词了
dòngcí 动词le 了
verb le
中文不是时态语言中文的动词本身不改变只用助词来表示动作还没发生正在发生或是已经结束
Zhōngwén 中文bùshì 不是shítài 时态yǔyán 语言Zhōngwén 中文de 的dòngcí 动词běnshēn 本身bù 不gǎibiàn 改变zhī 只yòng 用zhù 助cí 词lái 来biǎoshì 表示dòngzuò 动作hái 还méi 没fāshēng 发生zhèngzài fāshēng 正在发生huòshì 或是yǐjīng 已经jiéshù 结束
Chinese is not a tense based language, the verbs in Chinese do not change. Instead, we have particles that help indicate whether an action has occurred, is occurring or has completed.
我下了班就去找你
wǒ 我xià le 下了bān 班jiù 就qù 去zhǎo 找nǐ 你
Once I finish work, i'll come see you.
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