也
yě
In Chinese, 'also' is expressed by the word 也 (yě).
The word 也 is used to indicate that something else is true or happens in addition to what has already been mentioned.
Which one should you use?
While 也 means 'also' in the sense of 'likewise', the word 还 (hái) is used to mean 'also' when you are adding a new item to a list of things, such as saying 'I have a pen and also a book'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, the informal equivalent of 也 or 还有 is 亦都.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Chinese, the word 也 must be placed before the verb or adjective. It cannot be placed at the end of a sentence like the English word 'too'.
How do you pronounce it?
yě
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly place 也 at the end of a sentence. You must instead place it before the predicate.
Did you know?
- In Classical Chinese, 也 was used as a particle at the end of a sentence to mark a statement or a topic.
Examples in context
- 我也在这里。I am also here.Tatoeba #3378127 by GlossaMatik, translation #3378128 by buster_blu
- 他也在这里。He is also here.Tatoeba #3378286 by GlossaMatik, translation #3446740 by pauldhunt
- 我也喜欢你。I also like you.Tatoeba #4971581 by wzhd, translation #5082263 by zvzuibqx
- 我喜欢游泳，也喜欢跑步。I like swimming, also like running.
- 我还会游泳，又会跑步。I can swim too, and I can run as well.
- 我喜欢吃水果，还有蔬菜。I like to eat fruits, and also vegetables.
- 我听音乐，还有看电影。I listen to music, and also watch movies.
- 他喜欢音乐，我也是。He likes music, and so do I.
- 139 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their favorite foods at a cafe.
- 佳怡 Jiayi我也喜欢吃面条。Wǒ yě xǐhuān chī miàntiáo.I also like eating noodles.
- 俊杰 Junjie我也喜欢，可是我不吃辣的。Wǒ yě xǐhuān, kěshì wǒ bù chī là de.I also like them, but I don't eat spicy food.
- 佳怡 Jiayi那我也点不辣的吧。Nà wǒ yě diǎn bù là de ba.Then I will also order something non-spicy.
- 俊杰 Junjie好啊，我也点一样的。Hǎo a, wǒ yě diǎn yīyàng de.Okay, I will also order the same.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 也, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
