Difference between revisions of "The "also" adverb "ye""

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* 我 <em>也</em> 喜欢 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yě</em> xǐhuan.</span> <span class="trans">I like it too. / I also like it.</span>
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* 我 <em>也</em> 喜欢 。 <span class="pinyin"> Wǒ <em>yě</em> xǐhuān.</span> <span class="trans">I like it too. / I also like it.</span>
* <em>也</em> 有 一个 儿子 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>yě</em> yǒu yī gè érzi.</span> <span class="trans">I, too, have a son.</span>
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* <em>也</em> 有 一个 儿子 。 <span class="pinyin"> <em>yě</em> yǒu yī gè érzi.</span> <span class="trans">He, too, has a son.</span>
 
* 他们 <em>也</em> 是 法国 人 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>yě</em> shì Fǎguó rén.</span> <span class="trans">They are also French.</span>
 
* 他们 <em>也</em> 是 法国 人 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>yě</em> shì Fǎguó rén.</span> <span class="trans">They are also French.</span>
* <em>也</em> 不 知道 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>yě</em> bù zhīdao.</span> <span class="trans">He doesn't know either.</span>
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* <em>也</em> 不 知道 。 <span class="pinyin"> <em>yě</em> bù zhīdao.</span> <span class="trans">I don't know either.</span>
 
* 我 <em>也</em> 想 学 中文 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yě</em> xiǎng xué Zhōngwén.</span> <span class="trans">I, too, want to study Chinese.</span>
 
* 我 <em>也</em> 想 学 中文 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yě</em> xiǎng xué Zhōngwén.</span> <span class="trans">I, too, want to study Chinese.</span>
* 你 是 北京 人 ? 我 <em>也</em> 是 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ shì Běijīng rén?  Wǒ <em>yě</em> shì.</span> <span class="trans">Are you a Beijinger? I am too.</span>
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* 我 知道 他们 <em>也</em> 会 去。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhīdao tāmen <em>yě</em> huì qù.</span> <span class="trans">I know that they also will go.</span>
* 我 知道 <em>也</em> 想 去 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhīdao <em>yě</em> xiǎng qù.</span> <span class="trans">I know that you also want to go.</span>
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* 我 妈妈 <em>也</em> 喜欢 吃 水饺 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ māma<em>yě</em> xǐhuan chī shuǐjiǎo.</span> <span class="trans">My mother likes to eat boiled dumplings too.</span>
* 我 <em>也</em> 喜欢 吃 水饺 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yě</em> xǐhuan chī shuǐjiǎo.</span> <span class="trans">I like to eat boiled dumplings too.</span>
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* 你们 <em>也</em> 喜欢 喝 啤酒 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>yě</em> xǐhuan hē píjǐu ma?</span> <span class="trans">Do you like to drink beer too?</span>
* <em>也</em> 喜欢 喝 啤酒 吗 ? <span class="pinyin"><em>yě</em> xǐhuan hē píjǐu ma?</span> <span class="trans">Do you like to drink beer too?</span>
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* 你 <em>也</em> 来 我 家 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yě</em> xiǎng lái wǒ jiā ma?</span> <span class="trans">Do you want to come to my house too?</span>
* 你 <em>也</em> 来 我 家 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yě</em> huì lái wǒ jiā ma?</span> <span class="trans">Will you come to my house too?</span>
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* <em>也</em> 觉得 这 个 老师 好。<span class="pinyin"> <em>yě</em> juéde zhè ge cāntīng bù hǎo.</span> <span class="trans">She also thinks this teacher isn't good.</span>
* <em>也</em> 觉得 这 个 餐厅 好 吗 ? <span class="pinyin"><em>yě</em> juéde zhè ge cāntīng bù hǎo ma?</span> <span class="trans">Do you also think this restaurant isn't good?</span>
 
  
 
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Revision as of 07:12, 15 September 2015

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

  • 喜欢 。 xǐhuān. I like it too. / I also like it.
  • 有 一个 儿子 。 yǒu yī gè érzi. He, too, has a son.
  • 他们 是 法国 人 。 Tāmen shì Fǎguó rén. They are also French.
  • 不 知道 。 bù zhīdao. I don't know either.
  • 想 学 中文 。 xiǎng xué Zhōngwén. I, too, want to study Chinese.
  • 我 知道 他们 会 去。 Wǒ zhīdao tāmen huì qù. I know that they also will go.
  • 我 妈妈 喜欢 吃 水饺 。 Wǒ māma xǐhuan chī shuǐjiǎo. My mother likes to eat boiled dumplings too.
  • 你们 喜欢 喝 啤酒 吗 ? Nǐmen xǐhuan hē píjǐu ma? Do you like to drink beer too?
  • 想 来 我 家 吗 ? xiǎng lái wǒ jiā ma? Do you want to come to my house too?
  • 觉得 这 个 老师 不 好。 juéde zhè ge cāntīng bù hǎo. She also thinks this teacher 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

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

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

Examples

The "me too" structure works with other subjects, as well. But for these simple examples, we'll stick to the classic 我 (wǒ) subject.

  • A: 我 是 美国人 。 Wǒ shì Měiguó rén. I am an American.
  • B: 也 是 yě shì.Me too. / I am too.

For this next one, you'll notice that the "me too" reply repeats the original verb 喜欢 (xǐhuan) instead of using 是 (shì). Both ways are possible.

  • A: 我 喜欢 看书 。Wǒ xǐhuan kànshū. I like to read.
  • B: 也 喜欢 yě xǐhuān.Me too. / So do I.

You'll notice that some of those English 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

Sources and further reading

Books