了 le
(perfective) / (change of state)
了 (le) means "(perfective) / (change of state)" in Chinese and is one of the highest-frequency words in the Speak1000 curriculum.
How to use 了
V + 了
Indicates a completed action or change of state.
太 ___ 了
Expresses exclamation or "too much".
快 ___ 了
Something is about to happen.
别 ___ 了
Telling someone to stop doing something.
Words used with 了
已经
yǐjīng
already
太
tài
too / so
快要
kuàiyào
about to / almost
天气
tiānqì
weather
晚饭
wǎnfàn
dinner
雨
yǔ
rain
Frequently asked questions
What does 了 (le) mean in Chinese?
了 (le) means "(perfective) / (change of state)" in Chinese. 了 (le) means "(perfective) / (change of state)" in Chinese and is one of the highest-frequency words in the Speak1000 curriculum.
How do you use 了 in a sentence?
The core pattern is "V + 了" (Indicates a completed action or change of state.). Once you know this block, you can reuse it with many other words to build full sentences.
What words are commonly used with 了?
Common words that pair with 了 include 已经, 太, 快要. Learning these together helps you build complete, natural sentences instead of isolated vocabulary.
What is the difference between 了 (le) and 好 (hǎo)?
Both are high-frequency Chinese words taught early in Speak1000. 了 means "(perfective) / (change of state)"; 好 means "good / well / easy to / intensifier". The fastest way to tell them apart is to hear each one used in real sentences — our free lessons drill every word in context so the contrast becomes natural.
Related Chinese concepts
Hear 了 used in real sentences
The fastest way to remember 了 (le) is to hear it used naturally. Start free and practice with audio from day one.
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