Using "always" as a complaint with "laoshi"

We have a few ways to say "always" in Chinese, and one of them is to use the word 老是 (lǎoshì).

Structure

老是 is an adverb, usually translated into English as "always." It expresses that an action or a condition constantly repeats or continues. 老是 also has an unsatisfied or frustrated tone and can be interchanged with the word 总是. You can also use "老" instead of "老是."

老是 + Predicate

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

When 老是 is used together with an adjective, 老是 usually has an adverb such as "不, 很, 非常, 这么, 那么" etc., after it.

Examples

• 你 怎么 老是 加班 ？Nǐ zěnme lǎoshì jiābān?Why do you always work late?
• 那个 孩子 老 说 脏 话 。Nàge háizi lǎo shuō zāng huà.That kid always says bad words.
• 他 经常 迟到 ，还 老是 找 借口 。Tā jīngcháng chídào, hái lǎoshì zhǎo jièkǒu.He's always late. And he always makes excuses.
• 你 儿子 上课 的 时候 老是 说话 。Nǐ érzi shàngkè de shíhou lǎoshì shuōhuà.Your son talks all the time in the class.
• 他 真 讨厌 ，老是 跟 朋友 借钱 。Tā zhēn tǎoyàn, lǎoshì gēn péngyou jièqián.He's such a nuisance. He borrows money from his friend very often.
• 别 老是 抱怨 。Bié lǎoshì bàoyuàn.Stop complaining all the time.
• 这个 机器 老 出 问题 。Zhège jīqì lǎo chū wèntí.There is always something wrong with this machine.
• 奶奶 老是 忘 带 钥匙 。Nǎinai lǎoshì wàng dài yàoshi.My grandma forgets to take her keys all the time.
• 这个 老师 老是 那么 严肃 。Zhège lǎoshī lǎoshì nàme yánsù.This teacher is always so serious.
• 你 老是 这么 凶 干吗 ？Nǐ lǎoshì zhème xiōng gànmá?Why are you always so mean to me?
• 你 怎么 老是 不 高兴 ？Nǐ zěnme lǎoshì bù gāoxìng? How are you always unhappy?

See also

• "Always" with "conglai"
• "Never" with "conglai"

Sources and further reading

Websites

• Qingwen: Always in Chinese: 总是 (zǒngshì) and 老是

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 145) →buy