Chinese Completed Actions 中国完成的动作

Chinese Completed Actions 中国完成的动作

Usually, in order to indicate completion of an action, the particle 了 (le) is added after the verb.

我找到了那本书。(wǒ zhǎo dào le nà běn shū) I found that book.

我吃过早饭了。(wǒ chī guò zǎo fàn le) I have had breakfast.

Completed Actions That Did Not Happen:

If you wish to indicate that something really did not happen in the past, you must negate the verb using 没 (méi) or 没有 (méi yǒu). The 了 (le) particle is also removed from this kind of sentence.

我昨天没看见她。(wǒ zuó tiān méi kàn jiàn tā) I didn’t see her yesterday.

The adverb 还 (hái) can also be used here to in suggest that something ‘has not yet happened’.

我还没吃饭。(wǒ hái méi chī fàn.) I haven’t eaten yet.

Present:

Commonly used Time Adverbs:

经常 (jīng cháng) often

有时 (yǒu shí) sometimes

每天 (měi tiān) everyday

每周 (měi zhōu) every week

每年 (měi nián) every year

每周一次 (měi zhōu yī cì) once per week

(在)周一 (zài zhōu yī) on Monday

Past:

Commonly Used Past Time Phrases:

以前 (yǐ qián) before/ previously

过去 (guò qu) in the past / previously

上周 (shàng zhōu) last week

去年 (qù nián) last year

昨天 (zuó tiān) yesterday

刚刚 (gāng gang) just now/ a moment ago

往年这个时候 (wǎng nián zhè ge shí hou) at the time over the last few years

It seems that the clearest way to indicate that an action occurred in the past, is to use a time phrase or adverb. The time phrase tends to go before the verb to emphasise that specific time.

以前我是一个老师。(yǐ qián wǒ shì yī gè lǎo shī.) I was a teacher before.