已经⋯⋯了 (yǐjīng... le) is the basic pattern used to express "already"
in Chinese. It's easy to forget the 了 (le) on the end, but using it
will make your Chinese more natural.

Basic Usages
------------

### 已经 (yǐjīng) with Verb Phrases

#### Structure

The most common structure is to use 已经⋯⋯了 (yǐjīng... le) with a verb
phrase.

<div class="jiegou">
已经 + Verb / \[Verb Phrase\] + 了

</div>
#### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   他们 <em>已经</em> 走
    <em>了</em>。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">with just a
    verb</span><span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>yǐjīng</em> zǒu
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">They've already left.</span>
-   我 <em>已经</em> 有 男朋友 <em>了</em> 。
    <span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">with a verb
    phrase</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yǐjīng</em> yǒu nánpéngyou
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I already have a
    boyfriend.</span>
-   宝宝 <em>已经</em> 会 说话
    <em>了</em>。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">with a verb
    phrase</span><span class="pinyin">Bǎobao <em>yǐjīng</em> huì shuōhuà
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">The baby can already
    speak.</span>
-   妈妈 <em>已经</em> 回来
    <em>了</em>。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">with just a
    verb</span><span class="pinyin">Māma <em>yǐjīng</em> huílái
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">Mom has already come
    back.</span>
-   他 <em>已经</em> 上 飞机
    <em>了</em>。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">with a verb
    phrase</span><span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yǐjīng</em> shàng fēijī
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He's already gotten on the
    plane.</span>

</div>
### 已经 (yǐjīng) with Adjectives

#### Structure

Sometimes an [adjective](adjective "wikilink") or a [time
noun](time_noun "wikilink") is used instead of a typical verb phrase:

<div class="jiegou">
已经 + (很 +) Adj. + 了

</div>
#### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   爸爸 妈妈 <em>已经</em> 老 <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Bàba
    māma <em>yǐjīng</em> lǎo <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">Mom
    and dad are already old.</span>
-   <em>已经</em> 很 便宜
    <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Yǐjīng</em> hěn piányi
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">It is already very
    cheap.</span>
-   你 女朋友 <em>已经</em> 很 漂亮 <em>了</em>！ <span class="pinyin">
    Nǐ nǚpéngyou <em>yǐjīng</em> hěn piàoliang <em>le</em>!
    </span><span class="trans">Your girlfriend is already very
    beautiful! </span>
-   你 的 感冒 <em>已经</em> 好 <em>了</em> 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ
    de gǎnmào <em>yǐjīng</em> hǎo <em>le</em>
    ma?</span><span class="trans">Is your cold already better?</span>
-   <em>已经</em> 很 晚 <em>了</em>，我们 走
    吧。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Yǐjīng</em> hěn wǎn <em>le</em>, wǒmen
    zǒu ba.</span><span class="trans">It's already really late. Let's
    go.</span>

</div>
### 已经 (yǐjīng) with Time Nouns

A "[time noun](time_noun "wikilink")" simply refers to almost any word
in Chinese indicating a time something happened.

#### Structure

<div class="jiegou">
已经 + Time Noun + 了

</div>
#### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   <em>已经</em> 11点 <em>了</em>，女儿 还 没 回来
    。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Yǐjīng</em> shíyī diǎn <em>le</em>, nǚ'ér
    hái méi huílái.</span><span class="trans">It is already 11 o'clock,
    and my daughter has not returned.</span>
-   爷爷 <em>已经</em> 八十五 岁 <em>了</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Yéye
    <em>yǐjīng</em> bāshí-wǔ suì
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">Grandpa is already
    eighty-five years old.</span>
-   我 学习 中文 <em>已经</em> 一 年 <em>了</em>
    。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xuéxí Zhōngwén <em>yǐjīng</em> yī nián
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I have already been studying
    Chinese for a year.</span>
-   他 在 洗手间 里 <em>已经</em> 半 个 小时 <em>了</em> 。
    <span class="pinyin">Tā zài xǐshǒujiān lǐ <em>yǐjīng</em> bàn gè
    xiǎoshí <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He has already been
    in the bathroom for half an hour.</span>
-   爸爸 去 北京 出差 <em>已经</em> 两 天 <em>了</em>
    。<span class="pinyin">Bàba qù Běijīng chūchāi <em>yǐjīng</em> liǎng
    tiān <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">It has already been two
    days since dad went to Beijing on business trip.</span>

</div>
Negative Form
-------------

### Structure

The negative structure simply adds a 不 (bù) after 已经 (yǐjīng), and
before the verb (or possibly adjective).

<div class="jiegou">
已经 + 不 + \[Verb Phrase\] / Adj. + 了

</div>
### Examples

Generally this negative 已经 (yǐjīng) structure is translated into
English as "not... anymore" rather than using the word "already."

<div class="liju">
-   我 <em>已经</em> <strong>不</strong> 喜欢 你
    <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yǐjīng</em>
    <strong>bù</strong> xǐhuan nǐ
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I don't like you
    anymore.</span>
-   他 <em>已经</em> <strong>不</strong> 爱 他 的 猫
    <em>了</em>。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yǐjīng</em>
    <strong>bù</strong> ài tā de māo
    <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't love his cat
    anymore.</span>
-   他们 <em>已经</em> <strong>不</strong> 住 在 中国 <em>了</em>。
    <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>yǐjīng</em> <strong>bù</strong> zhù
    zài Zhōngguó <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">They don't live
    in China anymore.</span>
-   我 <em>已经</em> <strong>不</strong> 需要 父母 的 钱 <em>了</em>。
    <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yǐjīng</em> <strong>bù</strong> xūyào
    fùmǔ de qián <em>le</em>.</span><span class="trans">I don't need my
    parents' money anymore.</span>
-   你 <em>已经</em> <strong>不</strong> 在 Google 工作 <em>了</em> 吗？
    <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yǐjīng</em> <strong>bù</strong> zài
    Google gōngzuò <em>le</em> ma? </span><span class="trans">You don't
    work at Google anymore?</span>

</div>
Sources and further reading
---------------------------

### Books

-   [现代汉语八百词（增订本）](现代汉语八百词（增订本） "wikilink") (p.
    612)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1)
-   [现代汉语虚词例释](现代汉语虚词例释 "wikilink") (p. 554)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B004323J90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1)
-   [New Concept Chinese
    (新概念汉语 初级本II)](New_Concept_Chinese_(新概念汉语_初级本II) "wikilink") (p.
    41)[→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/%E6%96%B0%E6%A6%82%E5%BF%B5%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD/dp/B00119AGD0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347862743&sr=8-1)
-   [Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and
    Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 -
    初中级)](Chinese_Grammar_-_Broken_down_into_100_items_-_Basic_and_Intermediate_Levels_(汉语语法百项讲练_-_初中级) "wikilink") (p.
    97)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ)

### Dictionaries

-   [现代汉语词典（第5版）](现代汉语词典（第5版） "wikilink") (p.1609)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1)

[Category:A2 grammar points](Category:A2_grammar_points "wikilink")