Chinese Language Learning Program Lesson 76 – How to use "le or liao 了" in Chinese (I)

Chinese Language Learning Program

Lesson 76 – How to use "le or liao 了" in Chinese (I)

Hello, everyone. Welcome back. This is Baixue’s Chinese Language Learning Program. Last time we talked about吧 (bā) and 吗 (mā) in Chinese. Today, we will talke about how to use "le or liao了" in Chinese.

Chinese character “了”has two different pronunciations and several different meanings.

Today, we will talk about one of the pronunciation of “了”. We will talk about the second one next time.

1. "le 了"

 

"le 了"has many functions in Chinese.

1). To express a completed action. "le 了" goes after a verb or adj. or is at the end of a sentence.

The sentence structure is:

Subject + Verb + 了 + Object

tā qù le běi jīnɡ .

他 去 了 北  京。( He went to Beijing.)

wǒ yǐ jīng bǎ gōng kè zuò wán le.

 我 已  经   把   功     课   做    完  了。

(I have already finished my homework.)

2). to express the duration of something

Subject + Verb + 了 + Duration + Object

tā zài shàng hǎi zhù le liǎng nián.

他 在     上     海    住  了   两     年。

(He lived in Shanghai for two years.)

3). To express how long you have not done something

Subject + Duration + 没 + Verb + Object + 了

tā yǐ jīng sān tiān méi shuì jué le.

他已  经    三   天     没    睡   觉 了。

(I haven’t slept for three days.)

4). To express "excessively" with "tai 太" and "zui 最"

太 + Adjective + 了

wǒ tài lèi le.

我   太 累了。(I am very tired.)

最 + Adjective (+ 了)

nǐ zuì cōng míng le.

你 最     聪     明   了。(You are the smartest.)

5). To indicate sequential actions.

nǐ chī wán le yǐ hòu, gěi wǒ dǎ diàn huà.

你  吃   完  了以   后，给   我  打   电    话。

(Please call me after you've finished eating.)

Action 1 吃 happens before action 2 打电话 which indicates that the action 2 打电话 happens only after action 1 吃 finishes.

6). To describe change or a new situation with了 at the end of the sentence

wǒ huì shuō zhōng wén le。

 我   会    说      中       文   了。

(I can speak Chinese now. (I couldn't speak Chinese before))

wǒ bù xiǎnɡ qù běi jīng le.

 我  不   想     去  北   京   了。

(I don't want to go to Beijing anymore. (I wanted to go to Beijing before, but now I changed my mind. ))

Today’s idiom is:

zuò jǐng guān tiān

 坐   井      观    天

(Literally-- look at the sky from the bottom of a well；look at the world through the window (all one's life)；narrow-mindedness；take a narrow view of things)

Ok, that is all for today.

xiè  xiè!

 谢   谢 ! (Thanks!)

xià  cì  jiàn 

 下  次  见!  (See you next time!)

Chinese Language Learning Program Supplement Lesson --Chinese Lantern Festival

Chinese Language Learning Program

Supplement Lesson – Chinese Lantern Festival

Hello, everyone. Welcome back. This is Baixue’s Chinese Language Learning Program. Last time we talked about吧 (bā) and 吗 (mā) in Chinese. Today, we will have a supplement lesson. This lesson we will talk about Chinese Lantern Festival.

See more information about the Chinese Lantern Festival, please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantern_Festival (including the history and some traditional practice in this day.)

Let's see some Chinese characters related to this Lantern Festival:

  

yuán xiāo jié

  元      宵   节(Yuánxiāo Festival, Lantern Festival)

tāng yuán

  汤     圆 (Tang-yuan, sweet dumplings)  

dēng huì

   灯    会(lantern show)

mí yǔ

谜 语(riddle)

cāi dēng mí

 猜    灯   谜(guess lantern riddles)

wǔ shī

 舞  狮(lion dancing)

wǔ lóng

舞    龙(dragon dancing)

yuán xiāo jié kuài lè!

  元     宵   节    快  乐！

(Happy Yuanxiao Festival!)

Today’s idiom is related the Chinese Lantern Festival:

zhāng dēng jié cǎi

    张      灯    结  彩

(decorate [be decorated] with lanterns [lights] and colored hangings [streamers])

jiē shàng zhāng dēng jié cǎi zhǔn bèi qìng zhù.

街     上        张        灯    结  彩   准     备    庆     祝。

(The streets are all decorated with lanterns and festoons for the celebration.)

Ok, that is all for today.

xiè  xiè!

 谢   谢 ! (Thanks!)

xià  cì  jiàn 

 下  次  见!  (See you next time!)

Chinese Language Learning Program Lesson 75 – 吧 (bā) and 吗 (mā) in Chinese

Chinese Language Learning Program

Lesson 75 – 吧 (bā) and 吗 (mā) in Chinese

Hello, everyone. Welcome back. This is Baixue’s Chinese Language Learning Program. Last time we talked about at a hotel in Chinese. Today, we will talke about some Chinese grammar.

吧 (bā) and 吗 (mā) are two of the most common sentence particles in Chinese grammar. They are usually used at the end of a sentence and indicate different meanings.

1.“吗” is used at the end of a sentence to make this sentence a question sentence whose answer usually is “yes” or “no.”

For example:

nǐ men shōu xìn yòng kǎ ma?

你  们      收    信    用    卡  吗? (Do you take credit cards?)

2. “吧” can be used at the end of a sentence in many context.

1)To indicate a suggestion, and a command.

For example:

jìn wū li ba.

进  屋 里吧。(Go into the house.)

2)To indicate an agreement or an acknowledgment.

For example：

hǎo ba! wǒ men liù diǎn zhōng jiàn.

 好  吧！我    们   六   点       钟      见。

(Alright! We will meet at six.)

3) To make the sentence a question sentence.

For example:

nǐ gōng zuò zuò wán le ba?

你   工     作    做    完  了 吧？

(Have you finished your work?)

4)To indicate uncertainty.

For example:

zhè zì lái shuǐ hē le bù huì shēng bìng ba?

 这  自 来   水   喝 了 不  会      生      病    吧？

(It is safe to drink this tap water, right?)

Today’s idiom is:

zuì wēng zhī yì bú zài jiǔ

 醉    翁     之 意 不  在  酒

(Literally-- The intention of the drunkard lies not on the wine, but on other purposes. Or Many kiss the baby for the nurse's sake.)

Ok, that is all for today.

xiè  xiè!

 谢   谢 ! (Thanks!)

xià  cì  jiàn 

 下  次  见!  (See you next time!)