……了 · 不……了
a change: something is now so, or no longer so
Structure
句子 + 了 · 不 + 动词 + 了
What it means
了 at the end of a sentence says the situation has changed: something is now so. 不……了 means “not any more” or a change of plan.
How it is built
Sentence + 了: 我二十岁了 (I'm twenty now). 他高了 (He's got taller). 不 + verb + 了: 我明天不去了 (I'm not going tomorrow after all).
When to use it
You met this 了 in lesson p-6 (上课了). Use it for a new state: 我老了 (I'm getting old). Without 了, the sentence just states a fact.
Watch out
了 is not a past tense, so a plain fact about the past takes no 了: ✗ 我去年很忙了 ✓ 我去年很忙。
Examples
我二十岁了。
I’m twenty now.
他高了，也重了。
He’s got taller and heavier.
我明天不去了。
I’m not going tomorrow after all.
我去年很忙。
I was busy last year. (a plain fact: no 了)
Learn this in HSK 1 · Lesson 5: 你今年多大 (How old are you?)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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