We have a few ways to say "always" in Chinese, and one of them
is to use the word 老是 (lǎoshì).
Used with Verbs
Structure
老是 is an adverb, usually translated into English as "always." It
expresses that an action or a condition constantly repeats or
continues. 老是 also has an unsatisfied or frustrated tone and can be
interchanged with the
word 总是.
You can also use "老" instead of "老是."
Examples
- 你 怎么 老是 加班 ？Nǐ zěnme
lǎoshì jiābān?Why do you always
work overtime?
- 他 老 说 脏 话 。Tā lǎo shuō
zānghuà.He always says bad
words.
- 这个 机器 老 出 问题 。Zhège jīqì
lǎo chū wèntí.There is always
something wrong with this machine.
- 他 老是 抱怨 自己 的 生活 。Tā
lǎoshì bàoyuàn zǐjǐ de shēnghuó.He complains about his life all the time.
- 你 老是 找 借口 。Nǐ lǎoshì
zhǎo jièkǒu.You always make
excuses.
Used with Adjectives
Structure
When it is used together with an adjective, 老是 usually has an
adverb such as "不, 很, 非常, 这么, 那么" etc., after it.
Examples
- 这个 老师 老是 很 严肃 。Zhège lǎoshī
lǎoshì hěn yánsù.This teacher
is always very serious.
- 你 老是 这么 凶 干吗 ？Nǐ lǎoshì
zhème xiōng gànmá?Why are you always so
mean to me?
- 你 怎么 老是 不 高兴 ？Nǐ zěnme
lǎoshì bù gāoxìng? How are you
always unhappy?
- 别 老是 那么 自恋 。Bié lǎoshì
nàme zìliàn.Don't be so self-absorbed
all the time.
- 你 家 的 东西 怎么 老是 坏 ？Nǐ jiā de
dōngxi zěnme lǎoshì huài?How
come there's always something broken in your house?
See also
Sources and further
reading
Websites
Dictionaries
Category:B1 grammar points