A2 · Grammar reference · ASGM055L
Expressing "already" with just "le"
You understand the word 已经 (yǐjīng) to mean "already" in Chinese, and it is followed with a 了 (le). However, sometimes, that feeling of "already" can also be expressed with 了 (le) alone if it is used in response to a preceding question or statement.
- Keywords
- 了 · 已经 · already
- Used for
- Referring to changes of situation
- Classification
- Particles · HSK2
Examples (10)
A:老板呢？
B:他走了。
A:孩子还在上大学吗？
B:他们工作了。
A:用我的车吧？
B:谢谢，我们有车了。
A:你要不要告诉他？
B:他知道了。
A:你应该问老师。
B:我问了。
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Summary, structure, classification, and adapted sentence examples draw from the AllSet Learning Chinese Grammar Wiki under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0; changes were made. This noncommercial reference is based on an October 2023 snapshot.
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