了, 过 and 着 in Chinese: the aspect particles compared
Chinese does not change the verb for time. It adds a small particle after it to show the shape of the action: 了 (le) for completed, 过 (guo) for experienced, 着 (zhe) for continuing. They are the answer to the question "where is the past tense?"
| Particle | Pattern | What it marks | HSK | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 了 after a verb | Verb + 了 + object | the action is completed | 1 | 我买了一本书。 Wǒ mǎi le yì běn shū. I bought a book. |
| 了 at the end | Sentence + 了 | a change of state: something is now different | 1 | 下雨了。 Xià yǔ le. It has started to rain. |
| 了 negated | 没 + verb (drop 了) | the action did not happen | 1 | 我没吃早饭。 Wǒ méi chī zǎofàn. I did not eat breakfast. |
| 过 experience | Verb + 过 + object | it has happened at least once in your life | 2 | 我去过北京。 Wǒ qù guo Běijīng. I have been to Beijing. |
| 过 negated | 没 + verb + 过 | it has never happened | 2 | 我没吃过北京烤鸭。 Wǒ méi chī guo Běijīng kǎoyā. I have never eaten Peking duck. |
| 着 state | Verb + 着 | a state that continues after the action | 2 | 门开着。 Mén kāi zhe. The door is open. |
| 着 existence | Place + verb + 着 + thing | what is found in a place and how it is placed | 2 | 墙上挂着一张地图。 Qiáng shang guà zhe yì zhāng dìtú. A map is hanging on the wall. |
| 着 manner | Verb 1 + 着 + verb 2 | one action going on while the other happens | 4 | 她笑着说：“你好。” Tā xiào zhe shuō: "Nǐ hǎo." She said "hello" with a smile. |
| 在 for contrast | 在 + verb | an action in progress right now, which 着 does not mark on its own | 1 | 他在看书。 Tā zài kàn shū. He is reading. |
Common mistakes
Do not add 了 to every past sentence: habits and states in the past take none. Do not write 我没吃了; use 我没吃. Do not use 不 to negate 过; the form is 没去过. And do not translate every English "-ing" as 着: use 在 for an action happening now.
Where to go deeper
Each particle has two lessons: 了 and 了 at HSK 4, 过 and 过 at HSK 4, 着 and 着 at HSK 4. The same 了 also appears inside complement sentences such as 我看懂了.
Frequently asked questions
Is 了 a past tense marker?
No. 了 marks that an action is completed or that a situation has changed, not that it happened in the past. 明天我吃了饭就去 means "tomorrow, after I have eaten, I will go". Past events with no completion focus, such as habits, take no 了: 我小时候住在上海.
What is the difference between 了 and 过?
了 says the action was completed: 我吃了饭 (I ate). 过 says you have the experience of it: 我吃过北京烤鸭 (I have eaten Peking duck at some point). 过 puts the event in your life history without saying when.
How do I negate 了, 过 and 着?
For 了, use 没 and drop 了: 我没去. For 过, use 没 and keep 过: 我没去过. For 着, use 没 before the verb: 门没开着, or more naturally 门没开. 不 is not used with 了 or 过.
What does 着 do in Chinese?
着 (read zhe, neutral tone) marks a state that continues, as in 门开着, or a second action that accompanies the main one, as in 她笑着说. It is not the usual way to say "-ing"; for an action in progress use 在 or 正在.
When do I need two 了 in one sentence?
When there is a quantity and the situation is still true now: 我学了两年中文了 means I have studied for two years and still do. With only the first 了, 我学了两年中文 just reports the length of the study.
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