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How to Say ‘Particle indicating change or completion’ in Simplified Chinese

了

le

[luh]

💬 Usage Tip: [了] often marks that something has changed, not just that something is finished. In [开始排队了], it means "they've started lining up now," focusing on the new situation.

Phrase Breakdown

了

le

[luh]

completed action marker; change-of-state particle

A very common particle showing that something has happened or a new situation has begun.

Example

他们开始排队了。

They have started lining up.

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