Expressing "already" with "dou"

都⋯⋯了 (dōu... le) is a pattern used to express that something has already happened, similar to 已经 (yǐjīng)⋯⋯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 Before a Time

Structure

When 都⋯⋯了 (dōu... le) is used at the beginning of a sentence, it will usually be followed with 还 (hái) or 还在 (hái zài). This implies that the other party should stop some kind of action.

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 12 o'clock. 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, and he's still in the bathroom.
• 都 一 个 星期 了 ，还在 下雨 。Dōu yī gè xīngqī le, hái zài xiàyǔ.It's been a week and it's still raining.

Used Before the Predicate

Structure

Subj. + 都 + Predicate + 了

The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.

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. Throw it out.
• 我 都 说 了 三 遍 了 。别 烦 我 ！Wǒ dōu shuō le sān biàn le. Bié 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 ba.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 already apologized. Stop being so mad at him.

Sources and further reading

Books

• HSK Standard Course 2 (pp. 116) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• 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

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