Verb + 了 + Duration (did for a length of time)
How long did it last?
- You did something — but for how long?
- "I studied for three years", "I slept for eight hours".
- Chinese drops the duration right after the verb (and (completed / change)了).
Verb + (completed / change)了 + Duration
- Verb + (completed / change)了 + [length of time] — the action lasted that long.
I我study学了three三year年Chinese中文。
- 我学(completed / change)了三年Chinese language中文 = "I studied Chinese for three years."
Practice
I studied Chinese for three years: 我学 ____ 三年中文。
Verb + 了 + Duration: 学了三年 = studied for three years.
Practice
The duration goes before the verb.
Duration follows the verb (+了): 学了三年中文.
Practice
Build: “I studied Chinese for three years.”
Subj + Verb + 了 + Duration: 我 + 学了 + 三年中文.
A length, not a clock-time
- It answers "how long?" (三年, 两个hour小时), not "when?".
he他sleep睡了eight八(measure word)个hour小时。
- to sleep睡(completed / change)了八个hour小时 = "slept for eight hours."
Explore
Correct or broken?
Verb + 了 + duration: the time spent comes right after the completed verb.
Practice
What does the duration answer?
It is a LENGTH (how long), placed after the verb: 睡了八个小时.
Recap
Key idea
- Verb + (completed / change)了 + Duration — the action lasted that long
- Duration = a length (三年, 八个hour小时), placed after the verb
- 我学(completed / change)了三年Chinese language中文 · to sleep睡(completed / change)了八个hour小时
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Verb phrases.