ChineseGrammarWiki/ancien/Chinese-Grammar-Wiki/MD/A2/6.mw

{{Grammar Box}} 

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]] or a [[time noun]] 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]]" 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）]] (p. 612) [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 →buy]
*[[现代汉语虚词例释]] (p. 554) [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 →buy]
*[[New Concept Chinese (新概念汉语　初级本II)]] (p. 41)[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 →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) [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 →buy]

=== Dictionaries ===
* [[现代汉语词典（第5版）]] (p.1609) [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 →buy]

[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
{{Similar|Expressing "already" with just "le"}}
{{Similar|"Already" with "dou… le"}}
{{Basic Grammar|已经|A2|已经⋯⋯了|他 <em>已经</em> 走 <em>了</em>。|grammar point|ASGNXI27}}
{{Rel char|了}}
{{POS|Adverbs}}
{{Used for|Emphasizing}}
{{Translation|already}}