了
Pattern
Verb + 了 + duration
Key words
Core idea
A verb followed by 了 and a duration can say how long an action lasted or has lasted. The duration measures the action.
The exact time reference comes from context. It may describe a completed stretch of time or a stretch that continues up to a reference point.
Usage boundary
Do not treat 了 here as a simple past-tense marker. The important piece is the duration after the verb.
With verb-object phrases, Mandarin often uses a repeated-verb duration pattern. Keep that related duration page in mind when the verb has an object.
Examples
我等了十分钟。
Wǒ děng le shí fēnzhōng.
I waited for ten minutes.
他住了三年。
Tā zhù le sān nián.
He lived there for three years.
我们走了一个小时。
Wǒmen zǒu le yí ge xiǎoshí.
We walked for one hour.
Common mistakes
Avoid
我了等十分钟。
Use
我等了十分钟。
In this pattern, 了 follows the verb before the duration.