gou and goule

[bobdaun]

Hi,

Just a quickie - when should I use "gou" (enough) and when should I use "gou le" ?

e.g. is it OK to say "wode qian gou" (I have enough money) or should I say "wode qian goule" ?

Is there any difference in meaning and usage between them?

Thanks

[kdavid]

The only thing I can think of off the top of my head is when you use it with bu4 / bu2

Ni3 xiang3 chi1 duo1 le ma?

(Do you want to eat more?)

Bu4 xiang3, xie4xie. Wo yi3jing1 chi1 gou4 le.

(No, thanks. I've already eaten enough.)

versus

Ni3 you3 gou4 le qian2 ma?

(Do you have enough money?)

Mei2you3. You3 bu2 gou4 qian2.

(No. I don't have enough.)

So, I'm pretty sure that you only use 'le' when the sentence is ending in 'gou' and is affirmative. When using 'gou' negatively (not enough) you don't use 'le'.

[gougou]

I think the 了 in your first example is used because of the 已经, not because of the 够。I'm guessing that it's gonna be the same in most other cases: whether or not you use a 了 depends on the rest of the sentence, just like it would with any other adjective.

[Lu]

I'd say gougou must have the right answer to this :-)

I think you use goule when first you did not have enough, but now a bit was added so now it is enough (when someone's pouring you a drink, for example) and gou when it was enough all the time ('Did you bring enough money?' 'Yes, wo de qian gou' (gou yong, actually)).

[Prodigal Son]

我钱够了 is the right way to say you have enough money, I believe.

I think 了usually follows 够 when it's used like 我吃够了 or 我钱够了

[Songyi]

I'm almost certain that this has to do with the many confusing uses and situations of 了.

I think in this case the 了 signifies a change in the condition that you “now” have enough money or that you are "now" full.