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How to say “have been doing” in Chinese with double 了

Verb + 了 (le) + Duration + 了 (le)

Ongoing duration with double "了 (le)"

HSK 3Verb phrases

Rule structure

The structure Verb + 了 (le) + duration + 了 (le) shows that an action started in the past, has lasted for the stated duration, and is still continuing now. The first 了 (le) follows the verb; the final 了 (le) marks the current relevance of the situation.

Examples

我学中文学了三年了。

Wǒ xué Zhōngwén xué le sān nián le.

I have been learning Chinese for three years.

Practice

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Frequently asked questions

How do you express “Ongoing duration with double "了 (le)"” in Chinese?

Use the structure: Verb + 了 (le) + Duration + 了 (le). For example: 我学中文学了三年了。 — “I have been learning Chinese for three years.”.

What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?

我学中文学了三年了。 — “I have been learning Chinese for three years.”.

Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?

This grammar rule is part of HSK 3.

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More HSK 3 grammar rules

Expressing ongoing duration with double "了 (le)"

Verb + 了 (le) + Duration + 了 (le)

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