{{Grammar Box}} There are a few ways to express "ever since" in Chinese. In English, we would say something like "ever since I came to Shanghai, my Chinese has improved a lot." In this article, we will first take a look at using 以来 (yǐlái) to mean "ever since." We will also take a quick look at using "ever since" with 来 (lái), which is similar but used in a somewhat different way. == Structure with 以来 == === Basic form === To express "ever since," all one needs to do is put "以来" (yǐlái) after a specific event or time. It expresses what has happened since the stated event until the time that the speaker talks (in other words, referring to a certain time period). This grammar pattern is usually used to start a statement.
Time or Event + 以来
==== Examples ====
*上大学以来 ，我 一直 没逃过课。Shàng dàxué yǐlái, wǒ yīzhí méi táo guò kè.Since I was in college, I haven't skipped a class. *到 上海 以来 ，他 的 汉语 水平 提高 了。Dào Shànghǎi yǐlái, tā de Hànyǔ shuǐpíng tígāo le.Ever since he came to Shanghai, his Chinese has been improving. *住院 以来 ，常常有朋友来医院看望她 。Zhùyuàn yǐlái, chángcháng yǒu péngyou lái yīyuàn kànwàng tā.Ever since she was in hospital, her friends have constantly come and visited her.
=== Form with 自, 从 or 自从 === When you need to use 以来 in a more formal or written context, you can add 自, 从 or 自从 (or other similar words) before the time or event.
自 / 从 / 自从 + Time or Event + 以来
==== Examples ====
* 自从 我 拿到 驾照 以来 已经 有 五 年 了。Zìcóng wǒ ná dào jiàzhào yǐlái yǐjīng yǒu wǔ nián le.I've had my license for five years. * 自从 去年 夏天以来，他 一直 没有 回过家 。Zìcóng qùnián xiàtiān yǐlái, tā yīzhí méiyǒu huíguò jiā.He hasn't returned home since last summer. * 自从退学以来，他一直在帮父母做农活。Zìcóng tuìxué yǐlái, tā yīzhí zài bāng fùmǔ zuò nónghuó.Since he left school,he's been helping her parents do farm work. * 自从 1979 年 改革开放 以来，中国人 的 生活水平 得到 了 提高。Zìcóng yījiǔqījiǔ nián gǎigé kāifàng yǐlái, Zhōngguó rén de shēnghuó shuǐpíng dédào le tígāo.Ever since the 1979 reform, the Chinese people's level of living has gone up.
== Structure with 来 == Using 来 to mean "ever since" is basically the same as "以来," however, there is one key difference: you can only use 来 after a time interval. In other words, it needs to be used with a certain number of years, months, days, hours etc. In English this would be like saying "ever since three days ago, I've had a constant headache." It doesn't have to be a specific number either, it could be "a few" (几). This form cannot be used with 自, 从 or 自从 (or other similar words).
Time Interval + 来
==== Examples ====
* 三 个 月来，我们 去 了 很 多地方 旅游。Sān gè yuè lái, wǒmen qù le hěn duō dìfang lǚyóu.Since three months ago, we've traveled to a lot of places. * 五 年 来，物价 一直 上涨。Wǔ nián lái, wùjià yīzhí shàngzhǎng.Ever since five years ago, prices have been going up. * 我 的 同学 几 天 来 一直 没有 上课。Wǒ de tóngxué jǐ tiān lái yīzhí méiyǒu shàngkè.My classmate hasn't come to class for a few days now.
==See also== *[[Before and after with "zhiqian" and "zhihou"]] *[["Ever since" with "zicong"]] == Sources and further reading == === Books === * [[New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)]] (p. 203) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913192/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913192 →buy] * [[Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 2 (博雅汉语初经起步篇)]] (p. 25) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7301078617/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7301078617 →buy] * [[现代汉语八百词]] （p. 616) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001198GSW&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001198GSW →buy] *[[卓越汉语－公司实战篇]] (p. 36) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD-%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87-%E8%83%A1%E7%81%B5%E5%9D%87/dp/B003QZWQ6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347863170&sr=8-1 →buy] [[Category:B1 grammar points]] [[Category:Time]] {{Similar|"(Ever) Since" with "(zi)cong"}} {{Similar|Before and After with "zhiqian" and "zhihou"}} {{Similar|Sequencing past events with "houlai"}} {{Basic Grammar|以来|B1|⋯⋯以来|八月份 以来。|grammar point|ASGNEMXP}} {{Rel char|来}} {{Used for|Sequencing events in time}} {{Used for|Referring to the past}} {{Translation|since}} {{POS|Nouns}}