A2 · 初中級 チャプター 12

Completed Actions: Using 'Le' for the Past and Duration

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53 例文
6 分
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Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of completion and duration with the versatile particle 'le'.

  • Indicate that an action is finished using the completion particle.
  • Negate past actions correctly without using 'le'.
  • Express how long an activity lasted or is still lasting.
Tick the box: From 'I do' to 'I did'!

学べること

Hey there, language explorer! You've already built a fantastic foundation in Chinese. Now, let's unlock some truly powerful ways to talk about the past and how long things take, making you sound even more like a native speaker! In this exciting chapter, we'll dive deep into the versatile particle 'le' (了). You'll learn how to use it right after a verb to declare an action 'mission accomplished'—like ticking a 'Done' box, rather than just a simple past tense. Ever need to say you *didn't* do something in the past? We'll master negating completed actions using 'méiyǒu' (没有), understanding exactly when to drop that 'le' entirely. Want to express how long you did something? Imagine saying 'I studied for three hours' or 'I lived in Beijing for two years'. This chapter will teach you the neat trick of placing duration correctly with 'le'. And for a real pro move, we'll explore the intriguing 'double le' (了...了) structure, which allows you to talk about actions that started in the past and are *still ongoing*! These skills will be incredibly useful in real-life situations. Picture this: you're at a bustling Chinese restaurant, and you want to tell the waiter you've finished eating. Or you're recounting your last vacation to a friend, detailing how many days you spent exploring. By the end of this chapter, you'll confidently discuss your past experiences, clearly state what you have (or haven't) done, and precisely convey the duration of any activity. No more vague past statements for you – just clear, confident communication! Ready to make your Chinese conversations richer and more dynamic? Let's get started!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    Identify the correct placement of 'le' to signal a completed action.
  2. 2
    Formulate negative sentences for past events using 'méiyǒu'.
  3. 3
    Describe the duration of an activity that is finished or ongoing.

チャプターガイド

Overview

Hey there, language explorer! Welcome to an exciting chapter in your Chinese grammar A2 journey. You've already built a fantastic foundation in Chinese, and now we're about to unlock some truly powerful ways to talk about the past and how long things take, making you sound even more like a native speaker!
This guide is designed to help you master the versatile particle le (了), a crucial element for expressing completed actions and durations in Mandarin. Understanding le is fundamental for progressing beyond basic sentence structures and is a core part of A2 Chinese grammar.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll dive deep into the versatile particle le (了). You'll learn how to use it right after a verb to declare an action 'mission accomplished'—like ticking a 'Done' box, rather than just a simple past tense. Ever need to say you *didn't* do something in the past?
We'll master negating completed actions using méiyǒu (没有), understanding exactly when to drop that le entirely. Want to express how long you did something? Imagine saying 'I studied for three hours' or 'I lived in Beijing for two years'.
This chapter will teach you the neat trick of placing duration correctly with le. And for a real pro move, we'll explore the intriguing double le (了...了) structure, which allows you to talk about actions that started in the past and are *still ongoing*! These skills are incredibly useful for Chinese past tense expressions and conveying ongoing states.

How This Grammar Works

Let's break down the mechanics of using le (了) to talk about completed actions and duration, a key aspect of Chinese grammar. First, the Chinese Particle Le (了): The Done Button is used right after a verb to indicate that an action has been completed. It's not a simple past tense marker like in English; rather, it emphasizes the *completion* or *realization* of an action.
For instance, 我吃了饭 (Wǒ chī le fàn) means
I ate (and finished) the meal.
This is the core of The 'Completed Action' Particle 了(le).
When it comes to Negating Past Actions (méiyǒu), things change slightly. To say you *didn't* do something in the past, you use méiyǒu (没有) before the verb. Crucially, you *do not* use le (了) in this negative construction.
For example, 我没有吃饭 (Wǒ méiyǒu chī fàn) means "I didn't eat the meal." You wouldn't say *我没有吃了饭*. This is a common point of confusion for learners.
Next, we tackle Saying For 3 Hours: Duration with 了(le). To express how long an action lasted, you typically place the duration after the verb and sometimes repeat the verb before the duration, followed by le. For example, 我学了两年中文 (Wǒ xué le liǎng nián Zhōngwén) means
I studied Chinese for two years.
Or, for an action with an object, you might see 我住了两年 (Wǒ zhù le liǎng nián) -
I lived for two years.
Finally, for a truly advanced touch, we have the Chinese Double 'le' (了...了): Actions still happening now. This structure indicates an action that started in the past and is *still ongoing* up to the present moment. It follows the pattern: Verb + 了 + Duration + (Object) + 了.
For example, 他学了三年中文了 (Tā xué le sān nián Zhōngwén le) means
He has been studying Chinese for three years (and is still studying).
This distinguishes it from a single le, which only states completion. Mastering these structures will significantly enhance your ability to discuss past and ongoing events in A2 Chinese.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: 我没有吃了饭。 (Wǒ méiyǒu chī le fàn.)
✓ Correct: 我没有吃饭。 (Wǒ méiyǒu chī fàn.)
*Explanation:* When negating a past action using méiyǒu (没有), you should *not* use le (了). Méiyǒu already implies the past and negation.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: 我住了两年北京。 (Wǒ zhù le liǎng nián Běijīng.)
✓ Correct: 我在北京住了两年。 (Wǒ zài Běijīng zhù le liǎng nián.) OR 我在北京住了两年了。 (Wǒ zài Běijīng zhù le liǎng nián le.)
*Explanation:* When expressing duration with a location or object, the duration often follows the verb, and if there's a location, it usually comes before the verb with zài (在). The second le indicates it's still ongoing.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: 我看了电影了。 (Wǒ kàn le diànyǐng le.) (If you just finished the movie)
✓ Correct: 我看了电影。 (Wǒ kàn le diànyǐng.)
*Explanation:* Using a single le after the verb is sufficient to indicate completion. The double le (了...了) structure implies an action that started in the past and *continues* to the present. If you simply finished watching the movie, one le is enough.

Real Conversations

A

A

你吃了晚饭了吗？ (Nǐ chī le wǎnfàn le ma?) (Have you eaten dinner yet?)
B

B

我吃了。你呢？ (Wǒ chī le. Nǐ ne?) (I have. How about you?)
A

A

你在中国住了多久了？ (Nǐ zài Zhōngguó zhù le duō jiǔ le?) (How long have you been living in China?)
B

B

我住了三年了。 (Wǒ zhù le sān nián le.) (I have been living here for three years.)
A

A

昨天你看电影了吗？ (Zuótiān nǐ kàn diànyǐng le ma?) (Did you watch a movie yesterday?)
B

B

我没有看。 (Wǒ méiyǒu kàn.) (I didn't watch one.)

Quick FAQ

Q

How do I say "I haven't eaten yet" in Chinese using méiyǒu?

You would say 我还没有吃饭 (Wǒ hái méiyǒu chī fàn), using hái (还) for still and méiyǒu for negation, without le.

Q

What's the main difference between using one le and the double le (了...了) structure?

A single le after the verb indicates that an action has been completed. The double le structure indicates an action that started in the past and is *still ongoing* or continuing up to the present moment.

Q

Can le be used for future actions in Chinese grammar?

Generally, no. Le primarily indicates completion or change of state. For future actions, you'd use other markers like yào (要) or context, though le can appear in a sentence where a future action *will be completed* by a certain time (e.g., 明天我吃了饭就去 - Tomorrow, once I've eaten, I'll go).

Q

How do I express

I have been learning Chinese for 6 months
using the duration structure?

You would say 我学了六个月中文了 (Wǒ xué le liù gè yuè Zhōngwén le), using the double le to show the action is ongoing.

Cultural Context

In everyday Chinese conversation, the particle le (了) is incredibly common and crucial for conveying clarity about the status of actions. Unlike English, where past tense is often implied by verb conjugation, Chinese relies heavily on particles like le to specify completion or change. Native speakers use le almost instinctively to mark done-ness or to indicate that a situation has shifted.
The double le structure is particularly useful in informal settings to naturally express ongoing states, like how long someone has been doing something or living somewhere, making your speech sound much more natural and less abrupt. Mastering these nuances will significantly improve your fluency and comprehension.

重要な例文 (2)

1

我学了一年中文了。

中国語を1年勉強しています（今も継続中）。

中国語の「二重の了」（了...了）：今も続いている動作
2

他玩了三个小时游戏了。

彼は3時間もゲームをしています。

中国語の「二重の了」（了...了）：今も続いている動作

ヒントとコツ (4)

⚠️

否定の罠に注意！

«{我|wǒ} {没|méi} {吃|chī} {了|le}» とは言いません。「没（〜しなかった）」を使う時は、完了の「了」は部屋から出ていきます。正しくは «{我|wǒ} {没|méi} {吃|chī}。» です。
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 中国語の助詞 Le ({了})：「完了」ボタン
⚠️

否定の罠

「しなかった」と言う時は «没...了» とは言いません。やっていないことは「完了」できないからです。 «没» ＋動詞だけでOKです。 «我没去。»
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 動作の完了を表す助詞 {了|le}
⚠️

「了」は立ち入り禁止！

文の頭に «没有» があるのに、最後に «了» をつけるのは初心者が一番やりがちなミスです。 «我没有吃了。» は絶対にNGですよ！
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 過去の動作の否定 (méiyǒu)
💡

「半天」を使った誇張表現

中国語では、たとえ20分でも「すごく長く感じた！」という時に «半天»（半日）をよく使います。«我找了半天。»
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 「3時間勉強した」: 期間を表す {了|le}

重要な語彙 (7)

买(mǎi) to buy 咖啡(kāfēi) coffee 小时(xiǎoshí) hour 已经(yǐjīng) already 学习(xuéxí) to study 北京(běijīng) Beijing 住(zhù) to live

Real-World Preview

coffee

Checking Out at a Cafe

languages

Discussing Language Studies

Review Summary

  • Verb + 了 (+ Object)
  • 没有 + Verb (NO 了)
  • Verb + 了 + Time + (Object)
  • Verb + 了 + Time + 了

よくある間違い

You cannot use 'le' with 'méiyǒu' when talking about past actions. 'Méiyǒu' already implies the action didn't complete.

Wrong: 我没有去了 (Wǒ méiyǒu qù le)
正解: 我没有去 (Wǒ méiyǒu qù)

To show an action is still ongoing, you need BOTH the 'le' after the verb and the 'le' at the end of the sentence.

Wrong: 我学习三个小时了 (Wǒ xuéxí sān gè xiǎoshí le)
正解: 我学习了三个小时了 (Wǒ xuéxí le sān gè xiǎoshí le)

Even with 'le', time words must still come before the verb in Chinese.

Wrong: 我去了北京在2020年 (Wǒ qù le Běijīng zài 2020 nián)
正解: 我2020年去了北京 (Wǒ 2020 nián qù le Běijīng)

Next Steps

You've just unlocked a massive part of the Chinese language! Being able to handle 'le' and duration makes your stories much more engaging. Keep practicing, and it will become second nature!

Record a voice memo describing your day using at least 3 'le' sentences.

Write 5 sentences about things you *didn't* do yesterday using 'méiyǒu'.

Continue to: Life Experiences: Talking About What You Have Done

クイック練習 (10)

この文の間違いを見つけてください。

{我没去了超市。|Wǒ méi qù le chāoshì.} (スーパーに行きませんでした。)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {我没去超市。|Wǒ méi qù chāoshì.}
{没|méi} を使う否定文では、{了|le} を消さなければなりません。起きなかったことは完了できないからです。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 動作の完了を表す助詞 {了|le}

動作を完了させるために、空欄を埋めてみましょう。

{我|wǒ} {喝|hē} ___ {三|sān} {杯|bēi} {水|shuǐ}。 (水を3杯飲みました。)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {了|le}
3杯という具体的な量を飲み終えたので、動詞 {喝|hē} の直後に {了|le} を置きます。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 中国語の助詞 Le ({了})：「完了」ボタン

空欄を埋めて文を完成させてください。

{昨天我___两杯咖啡。|Zuótiān wǒ ___ liǎng bēi kāfēi.} (昨日、コーヒーを2杯飲みました。)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {喝了|hē le}
「2杯」という具体的な数量があり、動作が完了しているので、動詞の後に {了|le} が必要です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 動作の完了を表す助詞 {了|le}

不要な単語を見つけてください。

Find and fix the mistake:

{我|wǒ} {每|měi} {天|tiān} {都|dōu} {去|qù} {了|le} {健身房|jiànshēnfáng}。 (毎日ジムに行きました。)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {了|le} をとる
「毎日」という習慣の話をする時は、1回限りの完了を表す {了|le} は使いません。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 中国語の助詞 Le ({了})：「完了」ボタン

動作が今も続いていることを示すために、空欄を埋めてください。

{我|wǒ} {看|kàn} {了|le} {两|liǎng} {个|gè} {小时|xiǎoshí} {书|shū} ___。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {了|le}
文末に2つ目の「了」を置くことで、動作が現在まで続いていることを表します。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 中国語の「二重の了」（了...了）：今も続いている動作

空欄を埋めてください

你 ___ 回我的短信。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 没
メールが送られたのに返信がなかったという過去の出来事なので、「没」を使います。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 過去の動作の否定 (méiyǒu)

「晩ご飯を食べませんでした」として正しいのは？

文法的に正しい文を選んでください：

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我没有吃晚饭。
「不」は習慣や拒否を表し、「没有」と「了」は一緒に使えないので、3番目が正解です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 過去の動作の否定 (méiyǒu)

この文の間違いを見つけてください： {他|tā} {玩儿|wánr} {了|le} {电脑|diànnǎo} {三|sān} {个|gè} {小时|xiǎoshí} {了|le}。

Find and fix the mistake:

「彼は3時間パソコンをしています」と言う正しい方法は？

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {他|tā} {玩儿|wánr} {了|le} {三|sān} {个|gè} {小时|xiǎoshí} {电脑|diànnǎo} {了|le}。
ダブル「了」の形では、通常、期間が目的語の前に来ます。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 中国語の「二重の了」（了...了）：今も続いている動作

間違いを見つけて直しましょう

Find and fix the mistake:

我没有看了那个电影。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 我没有看那个电影。
「没有」を使って動作を否定する時は、完了の「了」を必ず取り除きます。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 過去の動作の否定 (méiyǒu)

「私は上海に2年住んでいて、今も住んでいます」という意味の文はどれ？

正しい文を選んでください：

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: {我|wǒ} {在|zài} {上海|shànghǎi} {住|zhù} {了|le} {两|liǎng} {年|nián} {了|le}。
「動詞 + 了 + 期間 + 了」の形が、現在も継続していることを示します。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 中国語の「二重の了」（了...了）：今も続いている動作

Score: /10

よくある質問 (6)

いいえ、違います。「完了」を意味するので、未来のことにも使えます。例えば «{吃|chī} {了|le} {饭|fàn} {去|qù}。» （ご飯を食べ終わったら行くね）のように使います。
「了」は動作（動詞）に使います。「的な」は説明や所有（名詞・形容詞）に使います。音も役割も全く別物ですよ。
いいえ、違います。これは「動作の完了」を表すマークです。過去のことによく使われますが、未来の完了にも使えます。 «我吃了饭就去。»
はい！「〜し終わったら…する」という順序を表す時に使います。 «你到了给我打电话。» （着いたら電話してね）
«了» は完了を表し、 «没» は完了を否定します。両方使うと「完了したことが起きていない」という矛盾した意味になるからです。 «我没有看。» と言いましょう。
«是»（〜である）などの一部の動詞だけです。それ以外のほとんどの動作には、過去なら必ず «没» を使います。 «他昨天不在家。»
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