17 aspect
Aspect refers to the way that an action is viewed, either from the outside, as a bounded event,
or from the inside, as an ongoing situation. Languages differ as to whether aspectual distinctions
are signaled in the grammar. In Mandarin, they are. Mandarin grammar marks three different
aspectual distinctions—perfective, durative, and experiential—each signaled by a verb suffix:
了 le perfective, 着/著 zhe durative, and 过/過 guo experiential. These suffixes, often referred
to as aspect particles, directly follow the verb (or, for perfective 了 le, either the verb or verb
+ object phrase). Mandarin also signals progressive aspect with pre-verbal 在 zài or the phrase
正在 zhèngzài. Progressive aspect is discussed section 17.2.1.17.1 Perfective aspect
The perfective aspect marker 了 le signals that an action is viewed as bounded and complete.17.1.1 Perfective 了 le in simple sentences
17.1.1.1 The location of perfective 了 le in simple sentences
了 le follows the object of the verb if the object is an unmodified noun, such as the object in
the verb phrases 吃饭/吃飯 chī fàn ‘eat,’ 说话/說話 shuō huà ‘speak,’ 写字/寫字 xiě zì
‘write,’ 看书/看書 kàn shū ‘read,’ 洗澡 xǐ zǎo ‘bathe,’ and 看电视/看電視 kàn diànshì ‘watch
television.’
我已经吃饭了。
我已經吃飯了。
Wǒ yǐjing chī fàn le.
I have already eaten.
他们昨天在宿舍看电视了。
他們昨天在宿舍看電視了。
Tāmen zuótiān zài sùshè kàn diànshì le.
They watched television in the dorm yesterday.了 le directly follows the verb if the object of the verb is a modified noun. Modified nouns are
nouns with any kind of modifier, including:
specifier + classifier + noun我看了那个电影。
我看了那個電影。
Wǒ kàn le nàge diànyǐng.
I saw that movie.