Jump to content
Chinese-Forums
  • Sign Up

要了


philipbeckwith

Recommended Posts

So I saw this apparently simple sentence:

 

王朋要了一杯冰茶。

 

It got me thinking, l learned before that when 了 is used for a marker of something that happened in the past, it should go with an action verb. 要 isn't an action verb. I would simply translate this as "Wangyou wanted a cup of iced tea," but I'm wondering if 了 has a different connotation here than I'm used to, or perhaps my ideas on 了were wrong. Can anyone help me?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It can often be worth having a look at the dictionary entries in cases like this, as there may be a meaning you're not familiar with. Here, 要 can also be 'to ask for' or (in a restaurant or cafe, as this seems to be) 'to order'. 

  • Thanks 1
  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and select your username and password later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Click here to reply. Select text to quote.

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...