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.

Structure with a verb

老师 is an adverb, usually translated into English as "always". It expresses that an action or a condition constantly repeats or continues. Usually it is said in the context of the speaker being in an unsatisfied or disgusted mood. It can be used before the verb or adjective in a sentence, and can be switched our with the word 总是. In this structure, we see how it is used in a verb.

老是 + Verb

Examples

• 不要 老是 笑话 别人。
• 他 老是 喜欢 说 脏 话。
• 你 怎么 老是 加班。

Structure with Adjective

When it is used together with an adjective, it usually has an adverb before the adjective. It can be words like "很, 非常, 这么, 那么" etc.

老是 + (Adverb +) Adjective

Examples

• 你 怎么 老是 这么 高兴？
• 他 的 脸 老是 很 红，很 可爱。

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