<p>There are a few variations depending on the structure of the sentence, but generally speaking we can say that the particle 了 can be used in two different ways:</p>
<p><strong>了 after the verb (了1)</strong></p>
<p>It indicates completion of the verb's action.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>昨天上午你去<strong>了</strong>哪儿？</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The &quot;completion&quot; of the action indicated by the verb 去 means that the subject actually got to be at the place in question.</p>
<p><strong>了 at the end of the sentence (了2)</strong></p>
<p>It indicates that a change occurred.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>昨天上午你去哪儿<strong>了</strong>？</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The &quot;change&quot; occurred might be, for example, related to the fact that the subject was seen, unexpectedly or unusually, leaving the office in the morning.</p>
<p><strong>Both 了1 and 了2</strong></p>
<p>We could also use both 了1 and 了2 in the same sentence, indicating completion and change.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>昨天上午你去<strong>了</strong>哪儿<strong>了</strong>？</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>Your question</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Is it possible to put 了 in 昨天上午你去哪儿了？after the verb 去 instead at the end?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Yes, it is, but the meaning would be different.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-11T16:03:54.347Z
You mention that the meaning can be different. Can you indicate what the different meanings are for the three scenarios in this case?
2ndQuantized
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-11T19:06:10.543Z
@2ndQuantized I'm sorry that the meaning of "completion" and "change" was not clear enough. Please see my edit. I wish it's clear now.
Joe at wearyourchinesename.com
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-11T09:52:14.907Z
2022-03-11T19:00:35.987Z
2022-03-11T19:00:35.987Z
Joe at wearyourchinesename.com
<p>i'm a chinese from the south of china.
Here is the thing:
1.Basically,了 implies something you've done or finished.
2.去 means like go 去了 means have gone</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-11T11:06:43.347Z
2022-03-11T11:06:43.347Z
Jerry Kowal
<p>I don't know the Nothern dialect, but in standard mandarin, 昨天上午你去了哪裡/什麼地方? is perfectly fine, as &quot;了&quot; can be placed at the end of the sentence indicating occurrence or completion, it can also be placed in between the verb and its object.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-09T22:58:24.350Z
2022-03-09T22:58:24.350Z
r13
<p>This question example is from the book &quot;HSK Standard Course 1 (2014)&quot;. According to the Chinese Grammar Wiki:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When time, place, manner, or purpose are specified in a sentence, 了 can be used immediately after the verb to indicate completion.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Because of the time specification 昨天上午, I've thought that it would also be possible to put 了 after the verb, so that the question becomes 昨天上午你去了哪儿？. Would it still be considered correct? Does this sound natural at all?</p>

<particles><hsk>
Is it possible to put 了 in 昨天上午你去哪儿了？after the verb 去 instead at the end?
# Is it possible to put 了 in 昨天上午你去哪儿了？after the verb 去 instead at the end?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-03-09)

This question example is from the book "HSK Standard Course 1 (2014)". According to the Chinese Grammar Wiki:

> When time, place, manner, or purpose are specified in a sentence, 了 can be used immediately after the verb to indicate completion.

Because of the time specification 昨天上午, I've thought that it would also be possible to put 了 after the verb, so that the question becomes 昨天上午你去了哪儿？. Would it still be considered correct? Does this sound natural at all?

**Tags:** particles, hsk


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-03-11. Score: 1

There are a few variations depending on the structure of the sentence, but generally speaking we can say that the particle 了 can be used in two different ways:

**了 after the verb (了1)**

It indicates completion of the verb's action.

> 昨天上午你去**了**哪儿？

The "completion" of the action indicated by the verb 去 means that the subject actually got to be at the place in question.

**了 at the end of the sentence (了2)**

It indicates that a change occurred.

> 昨天上午你去哪儿**了**？

The "change" occurred might be, for example, related to the fact that the subject was seen, unexpectedly or unusually, leaving the office in the morning.

**Both 了1 and 了2**

We could also use both 了1 and 了2 in the same sentence, indicating completion and change.

> 昨天上午你去**了**哪儿**了**？

**Your question**

> Is it possible to put 了 in 昨天上午你去哪儿了？after the verb 去 instead at the end?

Yes, it is, but the meaning would be different.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: You mention that the meaning can be different. Can you indicate what the different meanings are for the three scenarios in this case?  
> **username_1**: @username_2 I'm sorry that the meaning of "completion" and "change" was not clear enough. Please see my edit. I wish it's clear now.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2022-03-11. Score: 0

i'm a chinese from the south of china.
Here is the thing:
1.Basically,了 implies something you've done or finished.
2.去 means like go 去了 means have gone


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### Answer by username_4 on 2022-03-09. Score: 0

I don't know the Nothern dialect, but in standard mandarin, 昨天上午你去了哪裡/什麼地方? is perfectly fine, as "了" can be placed at the end of the sentence indicating occurrence or completion, it can also be placed in between the verb and its object.


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