Comparison of 了le (= suffix) and 了le (= particle)

了 le (= suffix) immediately after the verb only refers to the verb. The sentence is negated with 没 méi or 没有 méi yǒu. When there is a negation, 了 le is omitted.

了 le (= particle) at the end of a sentence refers to the entire situation in the sentence. The negation is 不 bù. When there is a negation, 了 le is not omitted.

When using adjective verbs, stative verbs or modal verbs, there is no difference in the meaning of the sentences whether 了 le (= suffix) stands right after the verb or as 了 le (= particle) at the end of the sentence. Often the 了 le stands immediately after the verb and at the same time at the end of the sentence.

了le (= suffix) after the action verb

他	没	吃	（	了	）	米	饭	。
tā	méi	chī	_	le	_	mǐ	fàn	_
he	not have	eat	_	particle	_	rice	food	_
he, him, other	not have	eat	（	grammatical particle of time	）	cooked rice		。
He has not eaten rice.

Listen:

了le (= particle) at the end of the sentence

他	不	吃	米	饭	了	。
tā	bù	chī	mǐ	fàn	le	_
he	not	eat	rice	food	particle	_
he, him, other	no, not, after negative question: yes	eat	cooked rice		grammatical particle of time	。
He doesn't eat rice anymore.

Listen:

了le (= suffix) after the adjective verb

你	胖	了	。
nǐ	pàng	le	_
you	fat	particle	_
you	get fat	grammatical particle of time	。
You have become fat.

Listen:

了le (= particle) at the end of the sentence

你	胖	了	。
nǐ	pàng	le	_
you	fat	particle	_
you	get fat	grammatical particle of time	。
You have become fat.

Listen:

了le (= suffix) after the modal verb

他	学	会	了	看	报	。
tā	xué	huì	le	kàn	bào	_
he	study	meet	particle	look	report	_
he, him, other	study, learn	future: will, meet, be able to	grammatical particle of time	look, read	report	。
He can now read newspapers.

Listen:

了le (= particle) at the end of the sentence

他	学	会	看	报	了	。
tā	xué	huì	kàn	bào	le	_
he	study	meet	look	report	particle	_
he, him, other	study, learn	future: will, meet, be able to	look, read	report	grammatical particle of time	。
He can now read newspapers.

Listen: