了 — saying an action has happened

Have you eaten yet?

• A friend asks if you have eaten. You had noodles an hour ago.
• I我wǒeat吃chī(completed / change)了le。 Wǒ chī le. — "I've eaten." I我wǒeat吃chī(completed / change)了le一碗yī wǎnnoodles面条miàn tiáo。 — "I ate a bowl of noodles."

Verb + (completed / change)了le: the action is done

• (completed / change)了le (le) after a verb says the action has happened: I我wǒeat吃chī(completed / change)了le, I ate; 他来tā lái(completed / change)了le, he has come.
• With an amount, (completed / change)了le comes right after the verb: buy买mǎi(completed / change)了letwo两liǎng(measure word)个geapples苹果píngguǒ, bought two apples.

I我wǒbuy买mǎi了letwo两liǎng(measure word)个geapples苹果píngguǒ。

Asking: ……(completed / change)了le(yes/no ?)吗ma？

• you你nǐeat吃饭chī fàn(completed / change)了le(yes/no ?)吗ma？ Nǐ chī fàn le ma? — "Have you eaten?" Answer eat吃chī(completed / change)了le for yes.
• People often ask this as a friendly greeting, not only about food.

you你nǐeat吃饭chī fàn了le吗ma？

Saying it did not happen: not没méi(to have / there is有yǒu)

• The negative uses not没méi and drops (completed / change)了le: I我wǒnot没méieat吃chī。 — "I haven't eaten." Not I我wǒnot没méieat吃chī(completed / change)了le.

I我wǒnot没méieat吃chī。

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Recap