Difference between revisions of "Expressing "already" with "yijing""
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| − | + | 已经……了 (yǐjing... le) is the basic pattern used to express "already" in Chinese. Strictly speaking, the 了 here is not absolutely mandatory, but it's usually there in spoken Chinese, so it's best to think of the 了 as a part of the pattern. | |
== Structures == | == Structures == | ||
| − | The structure | + | The most common structure to use 已经……了 with a verb phrase. |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
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</div> | </div> | ||
| − | Sometimes [[adjective]]s or even [[time noun]]s are used instead of a typical | + | Sometimes [[adjective]]s or even [[time noun]]s are used instead of a typical verb phrase: |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *他 <em>已经</em> 走 了 。<span class="trans"> | + | *<em>已经</em> 饿 了 。<span class="expl">(with an adjective)</span><span class="trans">I'm hungry already.</span> |
| − | *天 <em>已经</em> 黑 | + | *他 <em>已经</em> 走 了 。 <span class="expl">(with a verb)</span><span class="trans">He has already left.</span> |
| − | *我 <em>已经</em> 有 男朋友 | + | *<em>已经</em> 很 晚 了 ， 我们 走 吧 。<span class="expl">(with an adjective)</span><span class="trans">It's already really late. Let's go.</span> |
| − | *你 的 感冒 <em>已经</em>好 了 | + | *天 <em>已经</em> 黑 了 。 <span class="expl">(with an adjective)</span><span class="trans">It's already dark.</span> |
| − | *我 <em>已经</em> 知道 这 件 事 | + | *我 <em>已经</em> 有 男朋友 了 。 <span class="expl">(with a verb phrase)</span><span class="trans">I already have a boyfriend.</span> |
| − | *你 <em>已经</em> 很 瘦 了，你 不 能 再 不 吃饭 | + | *你 的 感冒 <em>已经</em>好 了 吗 ？ <span class="expl">(with an adjective)</span><span class="trans">Is your cold better already?</span> |
| − | *我 的 女儿 <em>已经</em> 2 岁 | + | *我 <em>已经</em> 知道 这 件 事 了 。 <span class="expl">(with a verb phrase)</span><span class="trans">I already know about this matter.</span> |
| − | *我 <em>已经</em> 离开 那 家 公司 了。 | + | *你 <em>已经</em> 很 瘦 了，你 不 能 再 不 吃饭 了 。 <span class="expl">(with a verb phrase)</span><span class="trans">You're already really thin. You can't not eat again.</span> |
| − | + | *我 的 女儿 <em>已经</em> 2 岁 了 。 <span class="expl">(with an age)</span><span class="trans">My daughter is already two.</span> | |
| − | *<em>已经</em> 10 点 了，他 为什么 还 | + | *我 <em>已经</em> 离开 那 家 公司 了。 <span class="expl">(with a verb phrase)</span><span class="trans">I've already left that company.</span> |
| − | + | *<em>已经</em> 10 点 了，他 为什么 还 没 来 上班？ <span class="expl">(with a time)</span><span class="trans">It's already 10 o'clock. Why hasn't he arrived for work yet?</span> | |
</div> | </div> | ||
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== Negative Structures == | == Negative Structures == | ||
| − | The negative structure simply adds a 不 | + | The negative structure simply adds a 不 after 已经, and before the verb (or possibly adjective). |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | 已经 + 不 | + | 已经 + 不 + [Verb Phrase] + 了 |
</div> | </div> | ||
== Examples == | == Examples == | ||
| + | |||
| + | Generally this negative 已经 structure is translated into English as "not... anymore" rather than using the word "already." | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *我 <em>已经</em> 不 记得 他 的 名字 了。<span class="trans"></span> | + | *我 <em>已经</em> 不 记得 他 的 名字 了。<span class="trans">I don't remember his name anymore.</span> |
| − | *我 <em>已经</em> 不 爱 他 了。<span class="trans"></span> | + | *我 <em>已经</em> 不 爱 他 了。<span class="trans">I don't love him anymore.</span> |
| − | *他 <em>已经</em> 不 开心 了，你 为什么 还 让 他 生气？<span class="trans"></span> | + | *他 <em>已经</em> 不 开心 了，你 为什么 还 让 他 生气？ <span class="trans">I'm already unhappy. Why are you making me angry?</span> |
| − | *你 <em>已经</em> 不 年轻 了，你 怎么 还 不 结婚？ | + | *你 <em>已经</em> 不 年轻 了，你 怎么 还 不 结婚？ <span class="trans">You're not young anymore. How come you don't get married?</span> |
| − | *我 <em>已经</em> 不 需要 花 父母 的 钱 了。 | + | *我 <em>已经</em> 不 需要 花 父母 的 钱 了。 <span class="trans">I don't need to spend my parents' money anymore.</span> |
| − | *在 我 心 里，他 <em>已经</em> 不 重要 了。 | + | *在 我 心 里，他 <em>已经</em> 不 重要 了。 <span class="trans">In my heart, he's no longer important.</span> |
| − | *你 <em>已经</em> 不 在 | + | *你 <em>已经</em> 不 在 Google 工作 了 吗？ <span class="trans">You don't work at Google anymore?</span> |
| − | *他 <em>已经</em> 不 打算 去 加拿大 旅行 了。 | + | *他 <em>已经</em> 不 打算 去 加拿大 旅行 了。 <span class="trans">He's no longer planning to travel to Canada.</span> |
| − | *以前，我 想 去 美国 上 大学，可是 现在 我 <em>已经</em> 不 想 去 了。<span class="trans"></span> | + | *以前，我 想 去 美国 上 大学，可是 现在 我 <em>已经</em> 不 想 去 了。<span class="trans">Before, I wanted to go to the U.S. for college, but now I don't want to go anymore.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 09:57, 22 October 2013
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| This article is a stub. Editors can help the Chinese Grammar Wiki by expanding it. |
已经……了 (yǐjing... le) is the basic pattern used to express "already" in Chinese. Strictly speaking, the 了 here is not absolutely mandatory, but it's usually there in spoken Chinese, so it's best to think of the 了 as a part of the pattern.
Contents
Structures
The most common structure to use 已经……了 with a verb phrase.
已经 + [Verb Phrase] + 了
Sometimes adjectives or even time nouns are used instead of a typical verb phrase:
已经 + Adj + 了
已经 + [Time Noun] + 了
Examples
- 已经 饿 了 。(with an adjective)I'm hungry already.
- 他 已经 走 了 。 (with a verb)He has already left.
- 已经 很 晚 了 ， 我们 走 吧 。(with an adjective)It's already really late. Let's go.
- 天 已经 黑 了 。 (with an adjective)It's already dark.
- 我 已经 有 男朋友 了 。 (with a verb phrase)I already have a boyfriend.
- 你 的 感冒 已经好 了 吗 ？ (with an adjective)Is your cold better already?
- 我 已经 知道 这 件 事 了 。 (with a verb phrase)I already know about this matter.
- 你 已经 很 瘦 了，你 不 能 再 不 吃饭 了 。 (with a verb phrase)You're already really thin. You can't not eat again.
- 我 的 女儿 已经 2 岁 了 。 (with an age)My daughter is already two.
- 我 已经 离开 那 家 公司 了。 (with a verb phrase)I've already left that company.
- 已经 10 点 了，他 为什么 还 没 来 上班？ (with a time)It's already 10 o'clock. Why hasn't he arrived for work yet?
Negative Structures
The negative structure simply adds a 不 after 已经, and before the verb (or possibly adjective).
已经 + 不 + [Verb Phrase] + 了
Examples
Generally this negative 已经 structure is translated into English as "not... anymore" rather than using the word "already."
- 我 已经 不 记得 他 的 名字 了。I don't remember his name anymore.
- 我 已经 不 爱 他 了。I don't love him anymore.
- 他 已经 不 开心 了，你 为什么 还 让 他 生气？ I'm already unhappy. Why are you making me angry?
- 你 已经 不 年轻 了，你 怎么 还 不 结婚？ You're not young anymore. How come you don't get married?
- 我 已经 不 需要 花 父母 的 钱 了。 I don't need to spend my parents' money anymore.
- 在 我 心 里，他 已经 不 重要 了。 In my heart, he's no longer important.
- 你 已经 不 在 Google 工作 了 吗？ You don't work at Google anymore?
- 他 已经 不 打算 去 加拿大 旅行 了。 He's no longer planning to travel to Canada.
- 以前，我 想 去 美国 上 大学，可是 现在 我 已经 不 想 去 了。Before, I wanted to go to the U.S. for college, but now I don't want to go anymore.
