了 (le) — Completed action
了 le — completed action marker
particleHSK 1Difficulty: 40
Explanation
了 (le) is placed after a verb to indicate that an action has been completed. English speakers often miss 了 entirely or place it in the wrong position.
Typical position
Verb + 了
Functions
- • completed action
- • change of state
- • new situation
Common Learner Errors
- ⚠️ Omitting 了 for completed actions (e.g., "我吃" instead of "我吃了")
- ⚠️ Using 了 for ongoing actions (e.g., "我住在了北京" should be "我住在北京")