HSK 1
V 了 O
V le O
have V'ed O
Structure
Subject + Verb + 了 + (Modifier) + Object
How it works
The particle '了' (le) placed immediately after a verb indicates the completion of an action. In this structure, it often focuses on the fulfillment of the verb, especially when the object has a modifier like a number or an adjective.
Examples
我喝了三杯水。
Wǒ hēle sān bēi shuǐ.
I drank three glasses of water.
他买了一个苹果。
Tā mǎile yígè píngguǒ.
He bought an apple.
老师看了那本书。
Lǎoshī kànle nà běn shū.
The teacher read that book.
Common mistakes
Using '了' (le) when the action didn't happen (negative sentences). Instead of '我不买了', you must use '我没买' and drop the '了'.
Tip
Think of this '了' as a 'completion marker' rather than just a past tense marker; it confirms the action is finished.
More HSK 1 grammar
See V 了 O in real Chinese
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