Difference between revisions of "The "also" adverb "ye""

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It can be tricky to know how to say "me too" when you first study 也 (yě), as you can't say "wǒ yě" all by itself. That's not a complete sentence; you can't just leave 也 (yě) hanging there with nothing after it.
 
It can be tricky to know how to say "me too" when you first study 也 (yě), as you can't say "wǒ yě" all by itself. That's not a complete sentence; you can't just leave 也 (yě) hanging there with nothing after it.
  
The correct sentence is "wǒ yě shì," which literally means, "I am too," but can also stand in for "me too."
+
The all-purpose correct sentence is "wǒ yě shì," which literally means, "I am too," but can also stand in for "me too."
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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<ul class="dialog">
 
<ul class="dialog">
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 我 是 美国人。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ shì měiguó rén . </span></li>  
+
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 我 是 美国人 。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ shì Měiguó rén. </span></li>  
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 我 <em> 也是 </em> ?<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ <em> yěshì </em>.</span></li>
+
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 我 <em> 也 是 </em> ?<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ <em> yě shì</em>.</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  
 
<ul class="dialog">
 
<ul class="dialog">
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 我 有 两个 孩子。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè háizi . </span></li>  
+
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 我 有 两 个 孩子。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè háizi. </span></li>  
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 我 <em> 也是 </em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ <em> yěshì </em>.</span></li>
+
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 我 <em> 也 是 </em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ <em> yě shì </em>.</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  
 
<ul class="dialog">
 
<ul class="dialog">
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 我 有 一 个 哥哥。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ yǒu xīn de iPhone . </span></li>  
+
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 我 有 一 个 哥哥。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ yǒu xīn de iPhone. </span></li>  
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 我 <em> 也是 </em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ <em> yěshì</em>.</span></li>
+
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 我 <em> 也是 </em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ <em>yě shì</em>.</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  
 
<ul class="dialog">
 
<ul class="dialog">
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 我 喜欢 吃 中国 菜。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ xǐhuān chī zhōngguócài . </span></li>  
+
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 我 喜欢 吃 中国 菜。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ xǐhuān chī Zhōngguó cài. </span></li>  
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 我 <em> 也 喜欢 </em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ <em> yě xǐhuān</em>.</span></li>
+
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 我 <em> 也 喜欢 </em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em> yě xǐhuān</em>.</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  
 
<ul class="dialog">
 
<ul class="dialog">
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 我 喜欢 看 书。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ bù xǐhuān chī ròu . </span></li>  
+
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 我 喜欢 看 书。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù xǐhuān chī ròu. </span></li>  
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 我 <em> 也 喜欢 </em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ <em> yěxǐhuān</em>.</span></li>
+
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span> 我 <em> 也 喜欢 </em> 。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ <em> yě xǐhuān</em>.</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</div>
 
</div>

Revision as of 06:58, 15 September 2015

The English adverb "too" or "also" is expressed in Chinese as 也 (yě). In Chinese, it needs to always come before the verb (or adjective), though.

也 with Verb Phrases

Structure

Since it is an adverb, 也 (yě) is inserted after the subject, before the verb or auxiliary verb:

Subj. + 也 + Verb / [Verb Phrase]

Please note that in English, we replace the word "too" with "either" in negative sentences. For example:

  • A:I like cats.
  • B:I like cats too.
  • A: I don't like cats.
  • B: I don't like cats either.

In Chinese, regardless of whether the sentence is positive ("I like them too") or negative ("I don't like them either"), 也 (yě) is used the same way. Just make sure you put the 也 (yě) before the 不 (bù) or other negative part that comes before the verb.

Examples

  • 喜欢 。 xǐhuan. I like it too. / I also like it.
  • 有 一个 儿子 。 yǒu yī gè érzi. I, too, have a son.
  • 他们 是 法国 人 。 Tāmen shì Fǎguó rén. They are also French.
  • 不 知道 。 bù zhīdao. He doesn't know either.
  • 想 学 中文 。 xiǎng xué Zhōngwén. I, too, want to study Chinese.
  • 你 是 北京 人 ? 我 是 。 Nǐ shì Běijīng rén? Wǒ shì. Are you a Beijinger? I am too.
  • 我 知道 你 想 去 。 Wǒ zhīdao nǐ xiǎng qù. I know that you also want to go.
  • 喜欢 吃 水饺 。 xǐhuan chī shuǐjiǎo. I like to eat boiled dumplings too.
  • 喜欢 喝 啤酒 吗 ? xǐhuan hē píjǐu ma? Do you like to drink beer too?
  • 会 来 我 家 吗 ? huì lái wǒ jiā ma? Will you come to my house too?
  • 觉得 这 个 餐厅 不 好 吗 ? juéde zhè ge cāntīng bù hǎo ma? Do you also think this restaurant isn't good?

也 with Adjectives

Structure

也 (yě) can also be used with adjectives. Remember that for simple "noun + adjective" sentences you normally need to include an adverb like 很 (hěn) before the adjective. In that case, just put the 也 (yě) before the adverb.

Subject + 也 + Adverb + Adjective

Examples

  • 高 。 hěn gāo. You are also tall.
  • 胖 。 hěn pàng. He is also fat.
  • 昨天 很 冷 , 今天 冷 。 Zuótiān hěn lěng, jīntiān hěn lěng. Yesterday was very cold, and today is also very cold.
  • 这 种 酒 好喝 。 Zhè zhǒng jiǔ hěn hǎohē. This kind of alcohol is also very good.
  • 他 生气 了 ? 我 生气 ! Tā shēngqì le? Wǒ hěn shēngqì! He got angry? I'm also very angry!
  • 这 个 问题 麻烦 。 Zhè ge wèntí hěn máfan. This problem is also very troublesome.
  • 我 觉得 这 个 餐厅 好 。 Wǒ juéde zhè ge cāntīng hěn hǎo. I think that this restaurant is also good.
  • 日本 菜 好吃 。 Rìběn cài hěn hǎochī. Japanese food is also very delicious.
  • 我 爸爸 有钱 。 Wǒ bàba hěn yǒuqián. My dad is also very rich.
  • 湖南 菜 辣 。 Húnán cài hěn là. Hunan food is very spicy too.

Expressing "me too" with 也

It can be tricky to know how to say "me too" when you first study 也 (yě), as you can't say "wǒ yě" all by itself. That's not a complete sentence; you can't just leave 也 (yě) hanging there with nothing after it.

The all-purpose correct sentence is "wǒ yě shì," which literally means, "I am too," but can also stand in for "me too."

Structure

The correct structure uses the verb 是 (shì):

  • 是。(The 是 fills in for whatever was just said.) yě shì. I am too. / Me too.
  • (Always put something after 也! It never ends a sentence.) .

Examples

The "me too" structure works with other subjects, as well.

  • A: 我 是 美国人 。 Wǒ shì Měiguó rén.
  • B: 也 是 yě shì.
  • A: 我 有 两 个 孩子。 Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè háizi.
  • B: 也 是 yě shì .
  • A: 我 有 一 个 哥哥。 Wǒ yǒu xīn de iPhone.
  • B: 也是 yě shì.
  • A: 我 喜欢 吃 中国 菜。 Wǒ xǐhuān chī Zhōngguó cài.
  • B: 也 喜欢 yě xǐhuān.
  • A: 我 喜欢 看 书。Wǒ bù xǐhuān chī ròu.
  • B: 也 喜欢 yě xǐhuān.

You'll notice that some of those translations use "so do I." The Chinese works exactly the same; they're just translated that way to produce more natural-sounding English.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books