How to use 没……了
Duration + 没 + Verb + 了
To say how long an action has not happened, put the elapsed duration before 没 and the verb phrase, then commonly add final 了. This measures a period without the event. It differs from the positive duration pattern, where the measured stretch of activity normally follows the action verb.
已经 can emphasize how much time has passed, but the construction often works without it. The interval may describe a temporary lack of activity or the time since the last occasion, depending on context. Final 了 presents the period as relevant now rather than marking the absent action as completed. Keep the duration tied to nonoccurrence and avoid placing it after the verb by analogy with an affirmative sentence.
Examples with pinyin and English
他们已经两天没吃东西了。
They haven't eaten anything for two days.
我们已经十年没见了。
We haven't seen each other for ten years already.
他已经一个星期没洗澡了。
He has already gone a whole week without showering.
你多长时间没刮胡子了？
How long has it been since you last shaved?
What to remember
- Place the elapsed duration before 没.
- Use final 了 for current relevance.
- The interval measures nonoccurrence, not activity.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
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