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 (lǎoshi).

Structure with a verb

老是 is an adverb, usually translated into English as "always". It expresses that an action or a condition constantly repeats or continues. It also has an unsatisfied or frustrated tone. It can be interchanged with the word 总是.

老是 + Verb

You can also use "老" instead of "老是".

Examples

• 不要 老是 笑话 别人。Bùyào lǎo shì xiàohuà biérén.Don't laugh at other people all the time.
• 他 老是 喜欢 说 脏 话。Tā lǎo shì xǐhuan shuō zānghuà.He always likes saying bad words.
• 老板 老是 让 我们 加班。Nǐ lǎo shì ràng wǒmen jiābān.The boss always asks us to work overtime.
• 他 老 不 来 参加 培训。Tā lǎo bù lái cānjiā péixùn. He never comes to the training session.
• 你 老 在 别人 面前 说 我 的 坏话。Nǐ lǎo zài biérén miànqián shuō wǒ de huàihuà. You always like speaking evil of me in front of other people.

Structure with Adjective

When it is used together with an adjective, it usually has an adverb before it, such as "很, 非常, 这么, 那么" etc.

老是 ( + Adv.) + Adj.

Examples

• 你 怎么 老是 不 高兴？Nǐ zěnme lǎo shì bù gāoxìng? How are you always unhappy?
• 他 对 员工 老是 很 严肃。Tā duì yuángōng lǎo shì hěn yánsù.His face is always red and cute.

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