Expressing "already" with "yijing"

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已经……了 (yǐjing... le) is the basic pattern used to express "already" in Chinese. Strictly speaking, the 了 here is not absolutely mandatory, but it's usually there in spoken Chinese, so it's best to think of the 了 as a part of the pattern.

Basic Pattern

已经 with Verb Phrase

Structure

The most common structure is to use 已经……了 with a verb phrase.

已经 + [Verb Phrase] + 了

Examples

  • 已经 吃 饭
  • 已经 去 过 那里
  • 宝宝 已经 会 说话
  • 我们 已经 做 完
  • 已经 回来
  • 已经 上 飞机
  • 已经(with a verb)He has already left.
  • 已经 有 男朋友 (with a verb phrase)I already have a boyfriend.
  • 已经 知道 这 件 事 (with a verb phrase)I already know about this matter.
  • 已经 离开 那 家 公司 (with a verb phrase)I've already left that company.

已经 with Adjective

Structure

Sometimes adjectives or even time nouns are used instead of a typical verb phrase:

已经 + Adj + 了

Examples

  • 已经 很 漂亮
  • 已经 很 烦
  • 爸爸 妈妈 已经
  • 我们 已经 很 忙
  • 已经 很 便宜
  • 已经(with an adjective)It's already dark.
  • 你 的 感冒 已经 吗 ? (with an adjective)Is your cold better already?
  • 已经 很 瘦 ,你 不 能 再 不 吃饭 了 。 (with an adjective)You're already really thin. You can't not eat again.
  • 已经 饿 (with an adjective)I'm hungry already.
  • 已经 很 晚 , 我们 走 吧 。(with an adjective)It's already really late. Let's go.

已经 with Time noun

Structure

已经 + [Time noun] + 了

Examples

  • 已经 11点 了,女儿 还 没 回来。
  • 已经 十 五 岁 了。
  • 今天 已经 星期 五 了。
  • 已经 半 个 小时 了。
  • 我 学习 中文 已经 一 年 了。
  • 他 去 北京 已经 两 天 了。
  • 已经 十 分钟 了。
  • 已经 很 长 时间 了。
  • 我 的 女儿 已经 两 岁 (with an age)My daughter is already two.
  • 已经 一 个 月 (with a time)

Negative Form

Structure

The negative structure simply adds a 不 after 已经, and before the verb (or possibly adjective).

已经 + 不 + [Verb Phrase] + 了

Examples

Generally this negative 已经 structure is translated into English as "not... anymore" rather than using the word "already."

  • 已经 不 认识 他 I don't know him anymore.
  • 已经 不 爱 他 I don't love him anymore.
  • 已经 不 开心 ,别 告诉 他 那 件 事 了。 He is not happy anymore, don't tell him about that thing.
  • 已经 不 年轻 You're not young anymore.
  • 已经 不 需要 父母 的 钱 I don't need my parents' money anymore.
  • 在 我 心 里,他 已经 不 重要 In my heart, he's no longer important.
  • 已经 不 在 Google 工作 吗? You don't work at Google anymore?
  • 已经 不 打算 去 加拿大 旅行 He's no longer planning to travel to Canada.
  • 现在 我 已经 不 想 去 Now I don't want to go anymore.

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries