<p>Basically, 了 is used in one of two ways:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Placed after a verb or adjective (to indicate completion), usually identified as  <strong>了1</strong>.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Placed at the end of a sentence, or a phrase, usually identified as <strong>了2</strong>.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>I suppose your question is about 了2, let's compare a few sentences that with and without 了 at the ends - to indicate a change of state, or a condition, with respect to sometimes in the past:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>他<strong>是</strong>(一個)大學生 - He <strong>is</strong> a college student.</p>
</li>
<li><p>他<strong>是</strong>(一個)大學生<strong>了</strong> - He is a college student <strong>now/already</strong>. (He wasn't the last time you saw him.)</p>
</li>
<li><p>這房子<strong>是</strong>我的 - This house <strong>is</strong> mine.</p>
</li>
<li><p>這房子<strong>是</strong>我的<strong>了</strong> - This house <strong>is</strong> mine <strong>now</strong>. (It wasn't before.)</p>
</li>
<li><p>明天<strong>是</strong>星期六 - Tomorrow <strong>is</strong> Saturady.</p>
</li>
<li><p>明天<strong>是</strong>星期六<strong>了</strong> - Tomorrow <strong>is</strong> Saturaday <strong>already</strong>. (Express the feeling about time changes with a sigh or an expectation.)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>You certainly shall search the web to find more instructions on the uses of 了1 and 了2. Have fun :)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-08T19:19:23.317Z
2024-11-08T19:19:23.317Z
r13
<p>I have never used 了 (le) to mean &quot;to be&quot; in my daily life, and I can't even think of an example where it would work in that context. I haven't seen this usage in any dictionaries either. Where did you come across the idea of 了 meaning &quot;to be&quot;?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-06T18:36:40.367Z
2024-11-06T18:36:40.367Z
Wanten
<p>Quote:- &quot;When should I use the character 了 to say what something is? I know that in the case of saying that something or someone is a noun, you use 是 (shì), but when is 了 (le) used?&quot;</p>
<p>My answer is based on the assumption that I understand correctly your question or rather the underlying query.</p>
<p>Let's breakdown your question:-</p>
<ol>
<li>&quot;I know that in the case of saying that something or someone is a noun, you use 是 (shì)&quot;</li>
</ol>
<p>Correct. For example, &quot;He is a good person&quot;, &quot;他<em><strong>是</strong></em>一个好人&quot;</p>
<ol start="2">
<li>&quot;...but when is 了 (le) used?&quot;</li>
</ol>
<p>了 is used when the subject, (He), &quot;became&quot; a good person, i.e. used as a past tense marker.</p>
<p>So, we have, &quot;He is a good person&quot;, &quot;他<em><strong>是</strong></em>一个好人&quot;, turning into &quot;He became a good person&quot;, &quot;他成为<em><strong>了</strong></em>一个好人&quot;</p>
<ol start="3">
<li>&quot;When should I use the character 了 to say what something is?&quot;</li>
</ol>
<p>Now, is this why you ask about the usage of 了 to mean &quot;to be&quot;?, because &quot;to be&quot; is when &quot;something is&quot;, or, something maintaining a contemporaneous form or quality.</p>
<p>I don't think it works that way, as other commentators have also opined.</p>
<p>If I have misunderstood your question, then of course my answer is wrong.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-07T02:58:30.857Z
2024-11-07T02:58:30.857Z
Wayne Cheah
<p>I know that when you are saying that something is a noun, you use 是 (shì), but when do you use 了(le)? Is it used when you are saying that an action is being completed or that someone or something is doing something?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-05T14:59:00.010Z
The question is too broad. I suggest performing a search, with 了 as the subject, on this forum, or google it on the web to familiarize yourself with the word, then ask something you don't understand.
r13
<grammar><characters>
Usage/meaning of 了(le) in sentence with the word "to-be"?
# Usage/meaning of 了(le) in sentence with the word "to-be"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-11-05)

I know that when you are saying that something is a noun, you use 是 (shì), but when do you use 了(le)? Is it used when you are saying that an action is being completed or that someone or something is doing something?

**Tags:** grammar, characters

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The question is too broad. I suggest performing a search, with 了 as the subject, on this forum, or google it on the web to familiarize yourself with the word, then ask something you don't understand.  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-11-08. Score: 1

Basically, 了 is used in one of two ways:

1. Placed after a verb or adjective (to indicate completion), usually identified as **了1**.
2. Placed at the end of a sentence, or a phrase, usually identified as **了2**.

I suppose your question is about 了2, let's compare a few sentences that with and without 了 at the ends - to indicate a change of state, or a condition, with respect to sometimes in the past:

* 他**是**(一個)大學生 - He **is** a college student.
* 他**是**(一個)大學生**了** - He is a college student **now/already**. (He wasn't the last time you saw him.)
* 這房子**是**我的 - This house **is** mine.
* 這房子**是**我的**了** - This house **is** mine **now**. (It wasn't before.)
* 明天**是**星期六 - Tomorrow **is** Saturady.
* 明天**是**星期六**了** - Tomorrow **is** Saturaday **already**. (Express the feeling about time changes with a sigh or an expectation.)

You certainly shall search the web to find more instructions on the uses of 了1 and 了2. Have fun :)


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### Answer by username_2 on 2024-11-06. Score: 0

I have never used 了 (le) to mean "to be" in my daily life, and I can't even think of an example where it would work in that context. I haven't seen this usage in any dictionaries either. Where did you come across the idea of 了 meaning "to be"?


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### Answer by username_3 on 2024-11-07. Score: 0

Quote:- "When should I use the character 了 to say what something is? I know that in the case of saying that something or someone is a noun, you use 是 (shì), but when is 了 (le) used?"

My answer is based on the assumption that I understand correctly your question or rather the underlying query.

Let's breakdown your question:-

1. "I know that in the case of saying that something or someone is a noun, you use 是 (shì)"

Correct. For example, "He is a good person", "他***是***一个好人"

2. "...but when is 了 (le) used?"

了 is used when the subject, (He), "became" a good person, i.e. used as a past tense marker.

So, we have, "He is a good person", "他***是***一个好人", turning into "He became a good person", "他成为***了***一个好人"

3. "When should I use the character 了 to say what something is?"

Now, is this why you ask about the usage of 了 to mean "to be"?, because "to be" is when "something is", or, something maintaining a contemporaneous form or quality.

I don't think it works that way, as other commentators have also opined.

If I have misunderstood your question, then of course my answer is wrong.


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