Expressing "always" with "conglai"

Although perhaps more often used in the negative to mean "never," 从来 (cónglái) can be used with 都 (dōu) to mean "always" or "have always (done)."

Structure

Without the negative adverbs 不 and 没, 从来 takes on the meaning of "always." (Literally, 从来 means something like "from the beginning," although no one is really thinking that phrase when they use it.) When used in the positive, though, it is customary to put the adverb 都 after 从来.

Subj. + 从来 + 都 + Predicate

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

Examples

  • 他 从来 都 这样 。Tā cónglái dōu zhèyàng.He's always like this.
  • 她 从来 都 这么 晚 睡 。Tā cónglái dōu zhème wǎn shuì.She's always gone to bed so late.
  • 他 说话 从来 都 很 大声 。Tā shuōhuà cónglái dōu hěn dàshēng.He's always spoken very loudly.
  • 她 买 衣服 从来 都 只 买 名牌 。Tā mǎi yīfu cónglái dōu zhǐ mǎi míngpái.She's always bought brand-name ones when she buys clothes.
  • 这个 国家 的 女孩 从来 都 很早 结婚 。Zhège guójiā de nǚhái cónglái dōu hěn zǎo jiéhūn.Girls in this country always get married at a very young age.
  • 我们 学校 的 学生 从来 都 只 能 穿 校服 。Wǒmen xuéxiào de xuéshēng cónglái dōu zhǐ néng chuān xiàofú.Students in our school can only wear school uniforms.
  • 我们 下棋 ，从来 都 是 他 赢 。Wǒmen xiàqí, cónglái dōu shì tā yíng.He's always won when we play chess.
  • 我 从来 都 一个人 住 ，已经 习惯 了 。Wǒ cónglái dōu yīgèrén zhù, yǐjīng xíguàn le.I've always lived alone; I'm used to it already.
  • 成功 从来 都 要 靠 自己 努力 。Chénggōng cónglái dōu yào kào zìjǐ nǔlì.Success always depends on working hard by oneself.

See Also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites


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