Still ongoing: 了…了

Structure Verb + 了 + duration + 了

When an action started in the past and CONTINUES up to now, you put one 了 after the verb and ANOTHER at the end: 我在这儿住了五年了 = "I’ve been living here for five years (and still am)". Without the final 了, 我住了五年 would sound finished ("I lived here for five years"). The final 了 is what adds "… and counting".

Examples

我wǒ在zài这zhè儿r住zhù了le五wǔ年nián了le。
I’ve been living here for five years.
他tā等děng了le一yī个ge小xiǎo时shí了le。
He’s been waiting for an hour.
我wǒ们men认rèn识shi十shí年nián了le。
We’ve known each other for ten years.

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