第一百五十七天

[nnozomi]

语法
verb (without object) + 了 + amount of time + 了 again, to indicate an action that has been going on for X duration and is still ongoing
https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_ongoing_duration_with_double_%22le%22
(top half of the page only)

词汇
几, several/how many (pinyin in tags)
https://mandarinbean.com/new-hsk-1-word-list/

Guardian:
咱们几个斗了也有大半年了吧, we've been fighting various fights for over six months now.
和儿子拥抱的感觉如何，你好像等了二十年了, how did it feel to hug your son, you seem to have been waiting twenty years
说什么呢，就几个苹果, what are you saying, it's just a few apples.

Me:
我只看了一个小时了，已经看到了牵牛花长大了。
我喜欢几种音乐。

Comments

[nnozomi]

I think that may be just the difference in the verb, whether it describes an ongoing thing (raining, waiting, searching) or a single thing (asking, finishing, etc.)?
That's another thing to think of--I feel like this might explain a lot but I haven't figured it out yet?

Still, too many nuances. *tears hair*
NO KIDDING, sigh.

[grayswandir]

I feel like this might explain a lot but I haven't figured it out yet?

Looking back at the Wiki page again, I think the difference is actually just the mention of duration. "我做了作业了" means "I already finished my homework," but I presumably if you added a duration like "我做作业做了一个小时了," it would mean that you've been doing your homework for an hour. I'm not sure if you can use the same structure with a more finite action like 問 -- it might mean "I've been asking for an hour"?

I do see how the 了 is kind of "already" in both cases, with one meaning you've already done the verb, and the other meaning you've already done the verb for a certain amount of time. But I agree with you, I think this may be one of those things I just need to hear enough in context to get used to it. (I'm glad for the grammar info, though, because I don't think I would have figured out on my own that duration + 了 means the action is ongoing!)

[trobadora]

Oh, yeah, good point about the mention of duration, that makes sense!

[nnozomi]

whether it describes an ongoing thing (raining, waiting, searching) or a single thing (asking, finishing, etc.)
if you added a duration like "我做作业做了一个小时了," it would mean that you've been doing your homework for an hour. I'm not sure if you can use the same structure with a more finite action like 問 -- it might mean "I've been asking for an hour"?
I'm pretty sure I can think of some contexts where 我问了一个小时了 would apply lol (see: on hold on the phone, forgetful managers/professors, etc.). But these various potential explanations are gradually coming together in my mind for a little better understanding (not that I can put it into words but I feel like I'll know where to start thinking the next time I see one of these).
(As always, your on-point grammar research and thoughts VERY helpful)