<p>They are almost the same, but the first and second sentences keep the last 了, so they are more colloquial. And the third one omits the last 了，so it sounds more serious.</p>

<p>In Chinese, 了 sometimes can express a kind of state, for example, 自行车修好了，the bicycle has been fixed. 吃过了，I have already eaten. </p>

<p>Here, the second 了 is a modal particle.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-03T05:47:08.623Z
2014-12-03T15:28:37.130Z
2014-12-03T15:28:37.130Z
user1108069
<p>1) Are these sentences all good Chinese?</p>

<p>Not quite. Structurally they look fine. But you shouldn't use 缺 with 职位. The correct word is 空缺 as the other answer suggested. </p>

<ol>
<li><p>请问您这个职位空缺了多久了？</p></li>
<li><p>请问您这个职位空缺多久了？</p></li>
<li><p>请问您这个职位空缺了多久？</p></li>
</ol>

<p>2) Is there any difference in meaning between them?</p>

<p>No. But there are other differences.</p>

<p>The 2nd and 3rd ones are literally the same. Any possible tone differences depend on how you say it. Though it would be easier to say the 2nd one without sounding offensive.</p>

<p>The 1st one is redundant so it's not as good as the other two.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-03T16:10:02.650Z
2014-12-03T16:10:02.650Z
AKFish
<p>The first one is better, just like you are asking somebody.</p>

<p>you can say any one of those sentence and people can understand.</p>

<p>By the way, you can say </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>请问您这个职位空缺了多久了</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-03T06:04:58.237Z
2014-12-03T08:19:09.233Z
2014-12-03T08:19:09.233Z
Timothy Zhang
<p>Actually 2 questions:</p>

<p>1) Are these sentences all good Chinese?
2) If they are acceptable Chinese, is there any difference in meaning between them?</p>

<ol>
<li><p>请问您这个职位缺了多久了？</p></li>
<li><p>请问您这个职位缺多久了？</p></li>
<li><p>请问您这个职位缺了多久？</p></li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-03T05:26:55.890Z
they are the same thing.
Ryan Yiada
<grammar>
请问您这个职位缺了多久了？Can I lose one 了
# 请问您这个职位缺了多久了？Can I lose one 了

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-12-03)

Actually 2 questions:

1) Are these sentences all good Chinese?
2) If they are acceptable Chinese, is there any difference in meaning between them?

1. 请问您这个职位缺了多久了？
2. 请问您这个职位缺多久了？
3. 请问您这个职位缺了多久？

**Tags:** grammar
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: they are the same thing.  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-12-03. Score: 2

They are almost the same, but the first and second sentences keep the last 了, so they are more colloquial. And the third one omits the last 了，so it sounds more serious.

In Chinese, 了 sometimes can express a kind of state, for example, 自行车修好了，the bicycle has been fixed. 吃过了，I have already eaten.

Here, the second 了 is a modal particle.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2014-12-03. Score: 0

1) Are these sentences all good Chinese?

Not quite. Structurally they look fine. But you shouldn't use 缺 with 职位. The correct word is 空缺 as the other answer suggested.

1. 请问您这个职位空缺了多久了？
2. 请问您这个职位空缺多久了？
3. 请问您这个职位空缺了多久？

2) Is there any difference in meaning between them?

No. But there are other differences.

The 2nd and 3rd ones are literally the same. Any possible tone differences depend on how you say it. Though it would be easier to say the 2nd one without sounding offensive.

The 1st one is redundant so it's not as good as the other two.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2014-12-03. Score: -1

The first one is better, just like you are asking somebody.

you can say any one of those sentence and people can understand.

By the way, you can say

> 请问您这个职位空缺了多久了


---

