Expressing "always" with "zongshi"

总是 （zǒngshì）and 老是 （lǎoshì) have the same meaning. Both can be interchanged in the same sentence.

Structure with Verbs

"总是" is an adverb that is often translated to English as "always". It is placed before the verb that it modifies.

Subject + 总是 + Verb

Examples

• 我 总是 忘记 这 个 词。I always forget this word.
• 他 总是 迟到。He is always late.
• 她 总是 花 很 多 钱 买 衣服。She always spends a lot of money buying clothes.
• 你 不 应该 总是 抱怨。You shouldn't always complain.
• 他 总是 有 很 多 有意思 的 想法。He always has a lot of interesting opinions.
• 为什么 你 总是 跟 那 个 老男人 在 一起？Why are you always together with that old man?
• 每 次 在 饭店 点菜，他 总是 点 红烧肉。Every time when ordering food at a restaurant, he always orders red-cooked meat.
• 她 总是 穿 裙子。She always wears skirts.
• 小 孩子 不能 总是 吃 肉。Young children can't eat meat all the time.
• 他 总是 一 个 人 吃 饭。He always eats alone.

Structure with Adjectives

When 总是 is used together with an adjective, you will need to add a modifier in the middle, such as "这么", "那么", "很", "特别" etc.

总是 + Modifier + Adj.

Examples

• 你 回家 总是 这么 晚。You always come home really late.
• 海南 总是 那么 热。Hainan is always that hot.
• 别 总是 不 高兴。Don't always be unhappy.
• 她 总是 很 开心，真好！She is always excited, that's good!
• 这 个 饭店 的 炒 面 总是 那么 好吃。This restaurant's fried noodles are always really delicious.
• 你 为什么 总是 这么 忙？Why are you always so busy?
• 他 总是 觉得 很 累。He always feels very tired.
• 下雨 的 时候，我 总是 很 难过。When it rains, I am always very sad.
• 中国 菜 总是 这么 油。Chinese food is always oily.
• 中国 人 总是 那么 热情。Chinese people are always cordial.
• 他 做 事 总是 那么 慢。His work is always slow.

Different emphasis about 总是

When the subject is put after 总是，the emphasis is on the subject itself. When the emphasis is on the predicate, the subject is put before 总是。

总是＋subject+verb强调“总是”后面的主语。

subject+总是＋verb强调“总是”后面的动词。

Examples

• 总是 她 迟到。这句话强调总是迟到的人是“她”，不是别人。It is she that is always late.
• 她 总是 迟到。这句话强调她迟到的次数很多。 She is always late.
• 为什么 总是 你 吃 肉，我 也 想 吃。强调吃肉的人是“你”。Why do you always eat meat, I also want to eat.
• 你 总是 吃 肉，这样 不 好。强调你吃肉太多。You always eat meat, that is not good.
• 总是 这 个 老师 帮 我。强调这个老师帮忙，不是别的老师。It is this teacher that always helps me.
• 这 个 老师 总是 帮 我。强调这个老师经常做的事情，是帮我This teacher always helps me.

See also

• "Always" as a complaint with "laoshi"
• "Always" with "conglai"

Sources and further reading

• Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 271) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 18) →buy