In this video lesson we'll learn how to use Modal Particle le 了 in Chinese to suggest a "new situation" and we'll also learn about Zero-Subject Sentence in Chinese 无主句 Wúzhǔjù.
There are a lot of Particles in Chinese, and 了 is probably the most important one. It can either be used as a Aspect Particle or a Modal Particle.
In this lesson we’ll learn about Modal Particle le 了 in Chinese. It indicates that something has happened, appeared, been realized. In other words, the state of something has changed, and there is a "new situation" now.
Compare the two sentences in each group:
We usually use 了 at the end of a sentence and in such a structure:
For example,
With Object
Without Object
For example,
For example,
When using the Modal Particle le 了 in Chinese, we are not looking at the Tense, we’re looking at the action or the event itself, and 了 indicates the state of the action or event, that it’s been done or it has happened already. But we’re not pointing out whether the status is in the past, present or future with 了. It could be any of them. For example,
With 了 sentences, it usually follows this order: Subject Predicate (Object) plus 了, but sometimes we don’t need to say the Subject if it’s obvious. Sentences without a Subject, are called Zero-subject Sentence 无主句 Wúzhǔjù.
We have learned 下 xià as a Locality Noun meaning "down; underneath; bottom" in Lesson 15, but in this lesson, in 下雨 and 下雪, 下 means "to go down; to fall down". It is used to suggest that for snow or rain to fall down.
In Lesson 14 of our Basic Chinese Course, we learned that 分 fēn means minute. The word 分钟 fēnzhōng also means minute in Chinese. The difference is that for reading a certain time on the clock, for example 4:20, we can only use 分, not 分钟.
But if we want to say "20 minutes", we use 分钟.
You must be logged in to post a comment.