<p>Sentence 1 is not about future event, it happened in the past, it's 了1 here.</p>
<p>In sentence 2 is 了2, marking change of state:
<em>I'm going back to America next month</em>.</p>
<p>Sentence 3 is about beginning of action:
<em>Now it's time to go to the customs and do your work</em>.</p>
<p>Check out the <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%BA%86#Definitions" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Wiktionary definitions</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-19T07:06:49.143Z
the usage of the beginning of action is also a subtype of change of state
CN.hitori
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-19T06:01:21.893Z
2022-04-19T06:01:21.893Z
Jason Swift
<p>I looked up the &quot;现代汉语词典&quot;.when 了 is used as an auxiliary verb
, it has two main functions:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>1.用在动词或形容词后面，表示动作或变化已经完成</p>
<p>2.用在句子的末尾或句中停顿的地方，表示变化或出现新的情况。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>According to the dictionary,了 in the sentence 1 satisfies the grammar point 1, like your understanding, it marks the completion of an action.了 in the sentences 2 and 3 satisfy the grammar point 2, like your understanding, it marks a change of state.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-19T06:49:43.560Z
2022-04-19T07:03:34.063Z
2022-04-19T07:03:34.063Z
CN.hitori
<p>This is some advice I got either here or some other Chinese forum, I found it very helpful.</p>
<p>了和过的区别</p>
<p>了和过都能用在动词后面。<br />
了 有表示过去时，现在进行时，将来时的意思。<br />
如：我去了一趟超市。（过去）<br />
我睡觉了。（现在）<br />
我到了给你打电话。（将来）<br />
过 只表示过去发生的某些事情。不能表示现在时和将来时。<br />
如：我去过中国。<br />
了 和 过 的用法是非常相似的，希望你能慢慢体会，多多练习。(ง •_•)ง,加油</p>
<pre><code>1. 晚上我们请他们去吃北京烤鸭。
   Tonight we will invite them to eat Beijing roast duck. (Yuck!)
2. 晚上我们请他们去吃了北京烤鸭。
   In the evening we invited them to eat Beijing roast duck. (Yuck!)
3. 下个月我就回美国去了。
   Next month I return to the States. (Kiss me while you still can!)
4. 现在该去海关办你的事儿了。
   You should go to customs now to complete the formalities.
   
</code></pre>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-21T01:34:43.130Z
2022-04-21T01:34:43.130Z
Pedroski
<p>I've come across some sentences, in which the particle 了 is used about future events.</p>
<ol>
<li>晚上我们请他们去吃了北京烤鸭。</li>
<li>下个月我就回美国去了。</li>
<li>现在该去海关办你的事儿了。</li>
</ol>
<p>I don't know what kind of 了 is this? Is it 了1, marking the completion or realization of an action. Or is it 了2, marking change of state. How should one translate such sentences?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-19T05:57:28.587Z
Don't forget 了 is also a common final particle that serves a number of functions (please check usages of [final particle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentence-final_particle))
Tang Ho
<grammar><particles>
Using 了 about future events
# Using 了 about future events

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-04-19)

I've come across some sentences, in which the particle 了 is used about future events.

1. 晚上我们请他们去吃了北京烤鸭。
2. 下个月我就回美国去了。
3. 现在该去海关办你的事儿了。

I don't know what kind of 了 is this? Is it 了1, marking the completion or realization of an action. Or is it 了2, marking change of state. How should one translate such sentences?

**Tags:** grammar, particles
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Don't forget 了 is also a common final particle that serves a number of functions (please check usages of [final particle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentence-final_particle))  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-04-19. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Sentence 1 is not about future event, it happened in the past, it's 了1 here.

In sentence 2 is 了2, marking change of state:
*I'm going back to America next month*.

Sentence 3 is about beginning of action:
*Now it's time to go to the customs and do your work*.

Check out the [Wiktionary definitions](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%BA%86#Definitions).

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: the usage of the beginning of action is also a subtype of change of state  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2022-04-19. Score: 1

I looked up the "现代汉语词典".when 了 is used as an auxiliary verb
, it has two main functions:

> 1.用在动词或形容词后面，表示动作或变化已经完成
>
> 2.用在句子的末尾或句中停顿的地方，表示变化或出现新的情况。

According to the dictionary,了 in the sentence 1 satisfies the grammar point 1, like your understanding, it marks the completion of an action.了 in the sentences 2 and 3 satisfy the grammar point 2, like your understanding, it marks a change of state.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2022-04-21. Score: 0

This is some advice I got either here or some other Chinese forum, I found it very helpful.
了和过的区别
了和过都能用在动词后面。
了 有表示过去时，现在进行时，将来时的意思。
如：我去了一趟超市。（过去）
我睡觉了。（现在）
我到了给你打电话。（将来）
过 只表示过去发生的某些事情。不能表示现在时和将来时。
如：我去过中国。
了 和 过 的用法是非常相似的，希望你能慢慢体会，多多练习。(ง •_•)ง,加油
1. 晚上我们请他们去吃北京烤鸭。
   Tonight we will invite them to eat Beijing roast duck. (Yuck!)
2. 晚上我们请他们去吃了北京烤鸭。
   In the evening we invited them to eat Beijing roast duck. (Yuck!)
3. 下个月我就回美国去了。
   Next month I return to the States. (Kiss me while you still can!)
4. 现在该去海关办你的事儿了。
   You should go to customs now to complete the formalities.


---

