The "also" adverb "ye"

The English adverb "too" or "also" is expressed in Chinese as 也 (yě). In Chinese, it needs to always come before the verb (or adjective), though.

也 with Verb Phrases

Structure

Since it is an adverb, 也 (yě) is inserted after the subject, before the verb or auxiliary verb:

Subj. + 也 + Verb / [Verb Phrase]

Please note that in English, we replace the word "too" with "either" in negative sentences. For example:

• A:I like cats.
• B:I like cats too.

• A: I don't like cats.
• B: I don't like cats either.

In Chinese, regardless of whether the sentence is positive ("I like them too") or negative ("I don't like them either"), 也 (yě) is used the same way. Just make sure you put the 也 (yě) before the 不 (bù) or other negative part that comes before the verb.

Examples

• 我 也 喜欢 。 Wǒ yě xǐhuan. I like it too. / I also like it.
• 我 也 有 一个 儿子 。 Wǒ yě yǒu yī gè érzi. I, too, have a son.
• 他们 也 是 法国 人 。 Tāmen yě shì Fǎguó rén. They are also French.
• 他 也 不 知道 。 Tā yě bù zhīdao. He doesn't know either.
• 我 也 想 学 中文 。 Wǒ yě xiǎng xué Zhōngwén. I, too, want to study Chinese.
• 你 是 北京 人 ？ 我 也 是 。 Nǐ shì Běijīng rén? Wǒ yě shì. Are you a Beijinger? I am too.
• 我 知道 你 也 想 去 。 Wǒ zhīdao nǐ yě xiǎng qù. I know that you also want to go.
• 我 也 喜欢 吃 水饺 。 Wǒ yě xǐhuan chī shuǐjiǎo. I like to eat boiled dumplings too.
• 你 也 喜欢 喝 啤酒 吗 ？ Nǐ yě xǐhuan hē píjǐu ma? Do you like to drink beer too?
• 你 也 会 来 我 家 吗 ？ Nǐ yě huì lái wǒ jiā ma? Will you come to my house too?
• 你 也 觉得 这 个 餐厅 不 好 吗 ？ Nǐ yě juéde zhè ge cāntīng bù hǎo ma? Do you also think this restaurant isn't good?

也 with Adjectives

Structure

也 (yě) can also be used with adjectives. Remember that for simple "noun + adjective" sentences you normally need to include an adverb like 很 (hěn) before the adjective. In that case, just put the 也 (yě) before the adverb.

Subject + 也 + Adverb + Adjective

Examples

• 你 也 很 高 。 Nǐ yě hěn gāo. You are also tall.
• 他 也 很 胖 。 Tā yě hěn pàng. He is also fat.
• 昨天 很 冷 ， 今天 也 很 冷 。 Zuótiān hěn lěng, jīntiān yě hěn lěng. Yesterday was very cold, and today is also very cold.
• 这 种 酒 也 很 好喝 。 Zhè zhǒng jiǔ yě hěn hǎohē. This kind of alcohol is also very good.
• 他 生气 了 ？ 我 也 很 生气 ！ Tā shēngqì le? Wǒ yě hěn shēngqì! He got angry? I'm also very angry!
• 这 个 问题 也 很 麻烦 。 Zhè ge wèntí yě hěn máfan. This problem is also very troublesome.
• 我 觉得 这 个 餐厅 也 很 好 。 Wǒ juéde zhè ge cāntīng yě hěn hǎo. I think that this restaurant is also good.
• 日本 菜 也 很 好吃 。 Rìběn cài yě hěn hǎochī. Japanese food is also very delicious.
• 我 爸爸 也 很 有钱 。 Wǒ bàba yě hěn yǒuqián. My dad is also very rich.
• 湖南 菜 也 很 辣 。 Húnán cài yě hěn là. Hunan food is very spicy too.

Expressing "me too" with 也

It can be tricky to know how to say "me too" when you first study 也 (yě), as you can't say "wǒ yě" all by itself. That's not a complete sentence; you can't just leave 也 (yě) hanging there with nothing after it.

The correct sentence is "wǒ yě shì," which literally means, "I am too," but can also stand in for "me too."

Structure

The correct structure uses the verb 是 (shì):

• 我 也 是。(The 是 fills in for whatever was just said.) Wǒ yě shì. I am too. / Me too.
• 我 也 。 (Always put something after 也! It never ends a sentence.) Wǒ yě.

Examples

The "me too" structure works with other subjects, as well.

• A: 我 是 美国人。 Wǒ shì měiguó rén .
• B: 我 也是 ？ Wǒ yěshì .

• A: 我 有 两个 孩子。 Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè háizi .
• B: 我 也是 。 Wǒ yěshì .

• A: 我 有 一 个 哥哥。 Wǒ yǒu xīn de iPhone .
• B: 我 也是 。 Wǒ yěshì.

• A: 我 喜欢 吃 中国 菜。 Wǒ xǐhuān chī zhōngguócài .
• B: 我 也 喜欢 。 Wǒ yě xǐhuān.

• A: 我 喜欢 看 书。 Wǒ bù xǐhuān chī ròu .
• B: 我 也 喜欢 。 Wǒ yěxǐhuān.

You'll notice that some of those translations use "so do I." The Chinese works exactly the same; they're just translated that way to produce more natural-sounding English.

See also

• "Ye" and "dou" together
• The "all" adverb
• Expressing "and also" with "hai"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 31-2) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (p. 88) →buy
• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 73)→buy