---
title: "verb + 了 + duration + 了 (so far) in Chinese Grammar: Has been … for … so far (up to now), With Examples"
description: "verb + 了 + duration + 了 (so far): has been … for … so far (up to now). Verb + 了 + a length of time + 了: the action has been going on for that long up to now, and may continue (我学了三年汉语了 “I have been learning Chinese for three years”). 4 real lines from stories, each word explained."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar/le-duration-le"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[Chinese grammar](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar)

# verb + 了 + duration + 了 (so far)

Has been … for … so far (up to now)

Verb + 了 + a length of time + 了: the action has been going on for that long up to now, and may continue (我学了三年汉语了 “I have been learning Chinese for three years”).

## In stories

外婆笑了：“楼下的包子啊，我**吃了十几年了**。

[楼下（下） · Downstairs (part 2)](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/grandmas-notebook-downstairs-part-2#library-word-207-213) HSK 3

安娜在北京**住了两年了**。

[八种笔画 · Chinese calligraphy for beginners](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/chinese-calligraphy-for-beginners#library-word-5-10) HSK 4

观音菩萨让我在这里等他，我已经**等了好几年了**！

[猪八戒 · Pigsy Joins](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/pigsy-joins-journey-to-the-west-intermediate-chinese-15#library-word-791-797) HSK 5

观音菩萨劝我吃斋念佛，叫我在这里等他，已经**等了好多年了**！”

[猪八戒 · Pigsy Joins](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/pigsy-joins-journey-to-the-west-advanced-chinese-15#library-word-875-881) HSK 7–9

[Read 楼下（下）](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/grandmas-notebook-downstairs-part-2#library-word-207-213)

## More patterns

- [verb (+ 了) + duration (for how long) for … (how long … lasts)](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar/duration)
- [verb + 了 + verb … briefly; … a little](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar/v-le-v)
- [太 + adjective + 了 so …!](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar/tai-le)
- [verb + 不了/得了 cannot …; can …](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar/v-bu-liao)
- [快(要)…了 about to …](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar/kuai-le)
- [为了…(而)… in order to …, …](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar/weile-er)

## What does verb + 了 + duration + 了 (so far) mean in Chinese?

Has been … for … so far (up to now). Verb + 了 + a length of time + 了: the action has been going on for that long up to now, and may continue (我学了三年汉语了 “I have been learning Chinese for three years”).

## How common is verb + 了 + duration + 了 (so far)?

It comes up in 4 readings of the 392 stories and articles in our free Library.

## Does it correct my mistakes?

No. It shows which patterns a text uses and what each one does; it doesn’t mark errors. Paste a sentence you wrote to see whether it uses the pattern you meant.

## More free tools

- [Chinese dictionary](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-dictionary)
- [Measure words](https://mandarinthewild.com/measure-words)
- [How hard is this text?](https://mandarinthewild.com/text-level)
- [Free Chinese stories](https://mandarinthewild.com/library)

Patterns found by our own parser; lines from our free Library.