Pattern
了 for a new situation
Mark “it’s now the case” with 了, without turning every English past tense into 了.
Change, not “-ed”
我饿了 means hunger has arrived. 下雨了 means rain has started. English past tense is the wrong teacher.
太…了 (太贵了, 太热了) lives in the same family: a current, often complaining, state.
If nothing changed, you may not need 了. 我是学生 is identity, not news.
Done events still use 了
我吃了. 他走了. Here 了 sits after the verb because the event is through.
Time words stay in the time slot: 我昨天吃了饺子.
Do not stamp 了 on every verb in a story. Mark the finished, relevant events.
Negation
Didn’t happen: 我没吃. 没, not 不了 as a beginner default.
Not yet: 还没… can wait a week. Master 没 + verb first.
我不饿 is “I’m not hungry” as a state. 我没饿 is the wrong tool for most beginners.
Common mistakes
Do not add 了 to 是 identity lines just because English used “was.”
Do not confuse 了 with 的.
Listen for 了 in 好了, 对了, 算了 — they are chunks, not a tense quiz.
Examples
I’m hungry now.
It has started raining.
That’s too expensive.
I ate / I’ve eaten.
He came yesterday.
I didn’t watch that movie.
Okay / it’s ready.
I’ve gotten tired.
Tips
- 了 often marks change or a finished event.
- 没 for “didn’t,” not 不 + 了 as the default.
- Skip 了 on plain identity 是 sentences.
- Reuse 太…了 from shopping and weather.
Cloze drills
1. I’m hungry (now).
Full: 我饿了。
了
2. It has started raining.
Full: 下雨了。
了
3. I didn’t eat.
Full: 我没吃。
没
4. That’s too hot.
Full: 太热了。
太…了