Expressing "always" with "zongshi"

总是(zǒngshì) and 老是(lǎoshì) have the same meaning. Both can be interchanged in the same sentence.

总是 with Verbs

"总是" is an adverb that is often translated to English as "always". It is placed before the verb that it modifies.

Structure

Subject + 总是 + Verb

Examples

• 他 总是 迟到。He is always late.
• 我 总是 忘记 这 个 词。I always forget this word.
• 她 总是 买 很多 衣服。She always buys a lot of clothes.
• 你 不 应该 总是 抱怨。You shouldn't always complain.
• 他 总是 有 很 多 有意思 的 想法。He always has a lot of interesting opinions.
• 为什么 你 总是 跟 那 个 老男人 在 一起？Why are you always together with that old man?
• 每 次 他 总是 点 红烧肉。Every time he always orders braised meat.
• 她 总是 穿 裙子。She always wears skirts.
• 小 孩子 不 能 总是 吃 肉。Young children can't always eat meat.
• 他 总是 一 个 人 吃 饭。He always eats alone.

总是 with Adjectives

Structure with Adjectives

When 总是 is used together with an adjective, you will need to add a modifier in the middle, such as "这么", "那么", "很", "特别" etc.

总是 + Modifier + Adj.

Examples

• 你 回家 总是 这么 晚。You always come home really late.
• 海南 总是 那么 热。Hainan is always that hot.
• 别 总是 不 高兴。Don't always be unhappy.
• 她 总是 很 开心，真好！She is always excited, that's good!
• 这 个 饭店 的 面 总是 那么 好吃。This restaurant's noodles are always really delicious.
• 你 为什么 总是 这么 忙？Why are you always so busy?
• 他 总是 很 累。He is always tired.
• 下雨 的 时候，我 总是 很 难过。When it rains, I am always very sad.
• 中国 菜 总是 这么 油。Chinese food is always oily.
• 中国 人 总是 那么 热情。Chinese people are always cordial.
• 他 做 事 总是 那么 慢。He always does things so slow.

Different emphasis about 总是

When the subject is put after 总是，the emphasis is on the subject itself. When the emphasis is on the predicate, the subject is put before 总是。

Structure

总是＋subject+verb强调“总是”后面的主语。

subject+总是＋verb强调“总是”后面的动词。

Examples

• 总是 她 迟到。This sentence emphasizes that it is "her" who is late, not anyone else.It is she that is always late.
• 她 总是 迟到。This sentence emphasizes the frequency of her lateness. She is always late.

• 为什么 总是 你 吃 肉？我 也 想 吃。Emphasizes that person eating meat is "you".Why do you always eat meat? I also want to eat.
• 你 总是 吃 肉，这样 不 好。Emphasizes that you eat meat too often.You always eat meat, that is not good.

• 总是 这 个 老师 帮 我。Emphasizes that "this teacher" always helps, not another teacher.It is this teacher that always helps me.
• 这 个 老师 总是 帮 我。Emphasizes how often a certain teacher helps "me".This teacher always helps me.

See also

• "Always" as a complaint with "laoshi"
• "Always" with "conglai"

Sources and further reading

• Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (p. 271) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (p. 18) →buy
• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (p. 79) →buy