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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.
已经 + Verb / [Verb Phrase] + 了
Examples
- 他们 已经 走 了。with just a verbTāmen yǐjīng zǒu le.They've already left.
- 我 已经 有 男朋友 了 。 with a verb phraseWǒ yǐjīng yǒu nánpéngyou le.I already have a boyfriend.
- 宝宝 已经 会 说话 了。with a verb phraseBǎobao yǐjīng huì shuōhuà le.The baby can already speak.
- 妈妈 已经 回来 了。with just a verbMāma yǐjīng huílái le.Mom has already come back.
- 他 已经 上 飞机 了。with a verb phraseTā yǐjīng shàng fēijī le.He's already gotten on the plane.
已经 (yǐjīng) with Adjectives
Structure
Sometimes an adjective or a time noun is used instead of a typical verb phrase:
已经 + (很 +) Adj. + 了
Examples
- 爸爸 妈妈 已经 老 了。Bàba māma yǐjīng lǎo le.Mom and dad are already old.
- 已经 很 便宜 了。Yǐjīng hěn piányi le.It is already very cheap.
- 你 女朋友 已经 很 漂亮 了！ Nǐ nǚpéngyou yǐjīng hěn piàoliang le! Your girlfriend is already very beautiful!
- 你 的 感冒 已经 好 了 吗 ？Nǐ de gǎnmào yǐjīng hǎo le ma?Is your cold already better?
- 已经 很 晚 了，我们 走 吧。Yǐjīng hěn wǎn le, wǒmen zǒu ba.It's already really late. Let's go.
已经 (yǐjīng) with Time Nouns
A "time noun" simply refers to almost any word in Chinese indicating a time something happened.
Structure
已经 + Time Noun + 了
Examples
- 已经 11点 了，女儿 还 没 回来 。Yǐjīng shíyī diǎn le, nǚ'ér hái méi huílái.It is already 11 o'clock, and my daughter has not returned.
- 爷爷 已经 八十五 岁 了 。Yéye yǐjīng bāshí-wǔ suì le.Grandpa is already eighty-five years old.
- 我 学习 中文 已经 一 年 了 。Wǒ xuéxí Zhōngwén yǐjīng yī nián le.I have already been studying Chinese for a year.
- 他 在 洗手间 里 已经 半 个 小时 了 。 Tā zài xǐshǒujiān lǐ yǐjīng bàn gè xiǎoshí le.He has already been in the bathroom for half an hour.
- 爸爸 去 北京 出差 已经 两 天 了 。Bàba qù Běijīng chūchāi yǐjīng liǎng tiān le.It has already been two days since dad went to Beijing on business trip.
Negative Form
Structure
The negative structure simply adds a 不 (bù) after 已经 (yǐjīng), and before the verb (or possibly adjective).
已经 + 不 + [Verb Phrase] / Adj. + 了
Examples
Generally this negative 已经 (yǐjīng) structure is translated into English as "not... anymore" rather than using the word "already."
- 我 已经 不 喜欢 你 了。Wǒ yǐjīng bù xǐhuan nǐ le.I don't like you anymore.
- 他 已经 不 爱 他 的 猫 了。Tā yǐjīng bù ài tā de māo le.He doesn't love his cat anymore.
- 他们 已经 不 住 在 中国 了。 Tāmen yǐjīng bù zhù zài Zhōngguó le.They don't live in China anymore.
- 我 已经 不 需要 父母 的 钱 了。 Wǒ yǐjīng bù xūyào fùmǔ de qián le.I don't need my parents' money anymore.
- 你 已经 不 在 Google 工作 了 吗？ Nǐ yǐjīng bù zài Google gōngzuò le ma? You don't work at Google anymore?
Sources and further reading
Books
- 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (p. 612) →buy
- 现代汉语虚词例释 (p. 554) →buy
- New Concept Chinese (新概念汉语 初级本II) (p. 41)→buy
- Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (p. 97) →buy
Dictionaries
- 现代汉语词典（第5版） (p.1609) →buy