Aspect Particles in Chinese Grammar
Pick the particle that matches how the action relates to time: completed, changed, experienced, in progress, or continuing as a state.
Choose the structure by meaning
Chinese aspect particles do not work like English tense. Choose the meaning first, then open the pattern.
An event happened or finished
我吃了饭。
Wǒ chī le fàn.
I ate.
Verb + 了
[VERB] le...
我吃了饭。
Wǒ chī le fàn.
I ate.
A new situation has appeared
天气变冷了。
Tiānqì biàn lěng le.
The weather has turned cold.
Topic + 变 + 了
biàn le
天气变冷了。
Tiānqì biàn lěng le.
The weather has turned cold.
Someone has had an experience before
我去过北京。
Wǒ qù guo Běijīng.
I have been to Beijing.
Verb + 过
[VERB] guo
我去过北京。
Wǒ qù guo Běijīng.
I have been to Beijing.
An action is happening right now
我正在看书。
Wǒ zhèngzài kàn shū.
I am reading right now.
正在 + Verb
zhèngzài [VERB]
我正在看书。
Wǒ zhèngzài kàn shū.
I am reading right now.
A posture or result keeps continuing
门开着。
Mén kāi zhe.
The door is open.
Verb + 着
[VERB] zhe
门开着。
Mén kāi zhe.
The door is open.
Common mix-ups
了 for completion vs change
le for completion vs change
了 can close an event or mark that the situation is now different. Read the whole sentence, not only the particle.
吃了饭 = ate; 变冷了 = became cold.
chī le fàn; biàn lěng le
了 vs 过
le vs guo
了 points to an event or change. 过 says the experience has happened at least once before.
我去了 = I went; 我去过 = I have been there before.
wǒ qù le; wǒ qù guo
在 / 正在 vs 着
zài / zhèngzài vs zhe
在 and 正在 show an action in progress. 着 often freezes the result or posture as a continuing state.
正在看书 = reading now; 门开着 = the door is open.
zhèngzài kàn shū; mén kāi zhe
Looking for a specific aspect particle?
Open the full reference when you need the exact particle pattern.