How to use 了？

[Amdir_Flassion]

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

[Quest]

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）

[ax]

In Taiwan I've seen it used to mean "understood", "Capisce"

"了"

or

"了改"

I love "了改" much better :-)

ax

[skylee]

Shouldn't it be 了解?? If you want it to be more complicated, it is 瞭解.

[Quest]

Is "了改" a bastardized pronunciation of 了解?

btw 了解 is pronounced Liu Gai in Cantonese.

[Tsunku]

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).

[smithsgj]

Tsunku yes it's liao3.

Skylee I think 瞭 is liao4 (also simplified to 了!)

[skylee]

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.

[trooper]

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...)".

[chris.]

Could you put 了 on the end of 住口 to give a harsher effect?

[Amdir_Flassion]

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

[trooper]

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.

[Quest]

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.

[ax]

here's another usage :-)

小時了了，大未必佳

[xiao shi liao liao, da wei bi jia]

ax

[skylee]

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。

[Quest]

the sad truths =|

[smithsgj]

can't think of a context for 闭嘴了. But 闭嘴啦 = "oh for heavens' sake shut up"??

[roddy]

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

[smithsgj]

闭嘴了 doesn't work therefore because it's usually mandatory rather than optional in intent!

[Quest]

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