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了 at the end: 'things have changed'

句尾了

Level 2 · Particles · 语气词

Final 了 signals a new situation, not just 'past tense'

The pattern

… + 了 (new state)
  • 了 at the end of a sentence reports a change: 下雨了 'it's raining now (it wasn't before)', 我吃饱了 'I'm full now'. Think 'news flash' rather than 'past tense'.
  • With 太…了 it makes exclamations: 太好了! 'great!'. Negate a change with 不…了 or 没…了 depending on meaning.

Examples

下雨了。 下雨了
xià yǔ liǎo
It's raining (now).
我吃饱了。 我吃飽了
wǒ chī bǎo liǎo
I'm full (now).
孩子长大了。 孩子長大了
hái zi zhǎng dà liǎo
The kid has grown up.

Quick check

1. 'He's asleep now.'
  1. 他睡觉了。
  2. 他睡觉过。
  3. 他睡觉得。
Show answer 他睡觉了。 — New state → sentence-final 了.
2. 'It's not raining anymore.'
  1. 不下雨了。
  2. 没下雨了去。
  3. 不雨下。
Show answer 不下雨了。 — 不…了 = the new state is 'not X'.
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