Amdir_Flassion Posted December 23, 2003 at 10:26 AM Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 at 10:26 AM Can anyone clarify to me how and when to use 了 at the end of a sentence? The only think I know is that it's a past tense thing. But, I was looking at Quest's response to about how to say 'dont work too late', and thought, 'Is the 了 necessary?' A few examples will be good. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quest Posted December 23, 2003 at 10:59 AM Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 at 10:59 AM 了can be used to indicate a past tense, but it's also a 语气助词 (e.g.啊啦嘛吧呀吗了etc) Here are some examples, 你吃过饭了吗？(tense) 他做了好事，也受到了表扬。(tense) 我们不应该再犯这种错误了。(语气助词) 我很久没有来这里了。（语气助词） Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ax Posted December 23, 2003 at 11:17 AM Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 at 11:17 AM In Taiwan I've seen it used to mean "understood", "Capisce" "了" or "了改" I love "了改" much better :-) ax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted December 23, 2003 at 01:25 PM Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 at 01:25 PM Shouldn't it be 了解?? If you want it to be more complicated, it is 瞭解. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quest Posted December 23, 2003 at 02:25 PM Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 at 02:25 PM Is "了改" a bastardized pronunciation of 了解? btw 了解 is pronounced Liu Gai in Cantonese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsunku Posted December 23, 2003 at 10:09 PM Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 at 10:09 PM le is sometimes "liao" in mandarin. In the above examples, isn't that a liao rather than a le? (Sorry the machine I'm on right now doesn't have a Chinese IME). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithsgj Posted December 24, 2003 at 06:53 AM Report Share Posted December 24, 2003 at 06:53 AM Tsunku yes it's liao3. Skylee I think 瞭 is liao4 (also simplified to 了!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted December 24, 2003 at 07:03 AM Report Share Posted December 24, 2003 at 07:03 AM I have just checked my dictionary. There are two pronunciations and meanings for 瞭 (simplified form is 了) - 1) liao3 - to know clearly/understand (e.g. 明瞭, 瞭如指掌) 2) liao4 - to watch from a height or distance (e.g. 瞭望) This seems quite off-topic now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooper Posted December 29, 2003 at 01:47 AM Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 at 01:47 AM 不要工作得太晚了 了 may be used for different reasons, some of which have nothing to do with past tense. With imperatives, it adds urgency. So, a negative imperative becomes a warning, e.g. 1。别说话 Keep quiet. 2。别说话了 Stop talking (I'm warning you)! In the quote from Quest, 了 adds an element of warning or caution. "Don't work so late (otherwise...)". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris. Posted December 29, 2003 at 02:05 AM Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 at 02:05 AM Could you put 了 on the end of 住口 to give a harsher effect? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amdir_Flassion Posted December 29, 2003 at 05:30 AM Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 at 05:30 AM Thx guys for ur examples. It's more clear now, coz it's one of the most basic words in Chinese and I'd be embarrassed if I used it incorrectly. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooper Posted December 29, 2003 at 06:32 AM Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 at 06:32 AM Can you say 住口? I didn't know that. I thought you could only say 住嘴. Adding 了 makes this seem more pressing and immediate. Wouldn't say harsher though. By the way, you can use 啦 instead of 了 if you want. It has the same meaning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quest Posted December 29, 2003 at 11:19 AM Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 at 11:19 AM Yes you can say 住口, or 闭嘴。 Adding 了 to the end? 住口了？ 闭嘴了？ They don't make sense to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ax Posted December 29, 2003 at 01:16 PM Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 at 01:16 PM here's another usage :-) 小時了了，大未必佳 [xiao shi liao liao, da wei bi jia] ax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted December 29, 2003 at 04:31 PM Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 at 04:31 PM This discussion has reminded me of "好了歌" in "紅樓夢" - 世人都曉神仙好，惟有功名忘不了！古今將相在何方？荒塚一堆草沒了。世人都曉神仙好，只有金銀忘不了！終朝只恨聚無多，及到多時眼閉了。 世人都曉神仙好，只有姣妻忘不了！君生日日說恩情，君死又隨人去了。 世人都曉神仙好，只有兒孫忘不了！痴心父母古來多，孝順兒孫誰見了？ It is called "好了歌" because - 可知世上萬般，好便是了，了便是好。若不了，便不好；若要好，須是了。 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quest Posted December 29, 2003 at 05:29 PM Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 at 05:29 PM the sad truths =| Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithsgj Posted December 30, 2003 at 02:06 AM Report Share Posted December 30, 2003 at 02:06 AM can't think of a context for 闭嘴了. But 闭嘴啦 = "oh for heavens' sake shut up"?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted December 30, 2003 at 02:22 AM Report Share Posted December 30, 2003 at 02:22 AM According to my dictionary, you can add 了 at the end of an imperative to indicate advice - which seems to mean that adding the 了 makes it optional, rather than an order. Examples given are 别说话了 + 走了, 走了. The other dictionary says 'in commands or advice in response to a changed situation' I haven't heard 住口, it's always been 闭嘴 - not that I get told to shut up very often, of course. Roddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithsgj Posted December 30, 2003 at 02:43 AM Report Share Posted December 30, 2003 at 02:43 AM 闭嘴了 doesn't work therefore because it's usually mandatory rather than optional in intent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quest Posted December 30, 2003 at 11:23 AM Report Share Posted December 30, 2003 at 11:23 AM I haven't heard 住口, it's always been 闭嘴 - not that I get told to shut up very often, of course. 住口 is more literal like "Be quiet"! while most people would just say Shut up! 闭嘴 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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