Expressing "already" with "dou"

都⋯⋯了 (dōu... le) is a pattern used to express that something has already happened, similar to "已经⋯⋯了." However, 都⋯⋯了 is used more emphatically, implying that the speaker holds some sort of attitude in relation to the event, and is not merely objectively stating the facts, as with "已经⋯⋯ 了." The two options can actually also be combined in the pattern "都已经⋯⋯ 了." Here the meaning is the same as "都⋯⋯ 了."

Used with Time

Structure

都 + Time + 了

Examples

• 都 九点 了，快点 起床 ！Dōu jiǔ diǎn le, kuài diǎn qǐchuáng!It's already nine o'clock. Get out of bed!
• 都 十二 点 了，你 还不 睡？Dōu shí'èr diǎn le, nǐ hái bù shuì?It's already 12am. Aren't you going to bed?
• 都 二十一 世纪 了，你 还 这么 想？Dōu èrshí-yī shìjì le, nǐ hái zhème xiǎng?It's already the 21st century and you still think this way?
• 都 一 个 小时 了，他 还 在 厕所 里。Dōu yī gè xiǎoshí le, tā hái zài cèsuǒ lǐ.It's already been an hour. He's still in the bathroom.
• 都 一个 星期 了 ，雨 还 在 下 。It's been raining for a week and it's still raining.

Used with Predicate

Structure

Subj. + 都 + Predicate + 了

Examples

• 饭 都 凉 了 ，快 吃 吧 。Fàn dōu liáng le. Kuài chī ba.The food is cold already. Let's eat.
• 牛奶 都 坏了，扔掉 吧 。Niúnǎi dōu huài le, rēngdiào ba.The milk's gone bad. You should throw it away.
• 我 都 说 了 三 遍 了 ，别 来 烦 我 ！Wǒ dōu shuō le sān biàn le, Bié lāi fán wǒ!I've said it three times already. Leave me alone!
• 这个 电影 你 都 看 过 了 ，看 别的 吧 。Zhège diànyǐng nǐ dōu kàn guo le, kàn biéde bā.You've seen this movie already. Let's watch something else.
• 他 都 道歉 了 ，你 别 生气 了。Tā dōu dàoqiàn le, nǐ bié shēngqì le.He's made an apology. Stop being so mad at him.

Sources and further reading

Books

• Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 97-99) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 178) [ →buy]

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 329 ) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy