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.

老是 + Verb

You can also use "老" instead of "老是."

Examples

• 你 怎么 老是 加班 ？Nǐ zěnme lǎoshì jiābān?Why do you always work overtime?
• 他 老 说 脏 话 。Tā lǎo shuō zānghuà.He always says bad words.
• 你 老 不 来 参加 培训 。Nǐ lǎo bù lái cānjiā péixùn.You never come to the training session.
• 他 老是 抱怨 自己 的 生活 。Tā lǎoshì bàoyuàn zǐjǐ de shēnghuó.He always complains about his life.
• 不要 老是 笑话 别人 。Bùyào lǎoshì xiàohuà biérén.Don't laugh at other people all the time.

Used with Adjective

Structure

When it 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.

老是 (+ Adv.) + Adj.

Examples

• 你 怎么 老是 不 高兴 ？Nǐ zěnme lǎoshì bù gāoxìng? How are you always unhappy?
• 他 对 员工 老是 很 严肃。Tā duì yuángōng lǎoshì hěn yánsù.He is always serious with the employees.
• 我 邻居 老是 很 吵。Wǒ línjū wǎnshang lǎoshì hěn chǎo. My neighbor upstairs is always noisy in the night.
• 他 老是 。Tā lǎoshì duì rén bù lǐmào.He's always impolite to people.

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