the use of ending tag 了


Dear friends,

Using the character 了(le) is a common type in modern Chinese sentences. You will see this character 了(le) in spoken Chinese language all the time.  It is added after a verb or a sentence. Please watch the following video lesson for examples:


The first type of phrase is:

It’s time to…

時間到了
shí-jiān dào le

時間(time) + 到了(arrived)

about the 2-character words:

time
時間
shí-jiān

and 

arrived
到了
dào le

到(arrive) + 了(intensifying preceding clause)


note: for the character 了(le) which is added after a verb 到(arrive), it's modal particle intensifying preceding clause.


Let's extend the phrase:


example1:

It’s time to eat (have meals).

吃飯的時間到了
Chī fàn de shí-jiān dào le

吃飯(have a meal) + 的(of) + 時間(time) + 到了(arrived)


for the part:

the time to have meals
吃飯的時間
chī fàn de shí-jiān

吃飯(have a meal) + 的(of) + 時間(time)


for the 2-character word:

have a meal
吃飯
chī fàn

吃(eat) + 飯(rice, meal)

It's the Chinese word for "have meals," not limited as "eat rice" though rice is the staple food for most (southern) Chinese people.



example2:

It’s time to take the medicine.

吃藥的時間到了
Chī yào de shí-jiān dào le

吃藥(take medicine) + 的(of) + 時間(time) + 到了(arrived)


for the part of the phrase:

the time to take medicine
吃藥的時間
chī yào de shí-jiān

吃藥(take medicine) + 的(of) + 時間(time)


and the 2-character word:

take medicine
吃藥
chī yào

吃(eat) + 藥(medicine)


Please check the analysis of phrases and vocabulary of this lesson via my database site:
http://www.chinese-word.com/lessons/lesson-56.html


The second type of the phrase:

I forgot…
我忘記了
Wǒ wàng-jì le

我(I) + 忘記(forget) + 了(ending tag)

the 2-character word:

forget
忘記
wàng-jì

note1: the past tense is not emphasized in most of Chinese sentences, this type of Chinese is much simple than the English grammar.

note2: the character 了(le) is used as an ending tag in modern Chinese sentence. It's modal particle intensifying preceding clause.


for this type of phrase:

I forgot…
我忘記了
Wǒ wàng-jì le

I forgot + (something, or verb)

Let's check the examples:

I lost track of time!
我忘記時間了
Wǒ wàng-jì shí-jiān le

我忘記 + 時間(time) + 了

(I forgot the time)

I forgot to take medicine.
我忘記吃藥了
Wǒ wàng-jì chī yào le

我忘記 + 吃藥(take medicine) + 了

(I forgot taking medicine)


Please check the analysis of phrases and vocabulary of this lesson via my database site:
http://www.chinese-word.com/lessons/lesson-56.html


Thanks for reading my blog. Please remember to subscribe my YouTube channel for more updated lessons. Thank you very much!

Happy Thanksgiving!
感恩節快樂！

Regards,

Andres Leo

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