Chinese Grammar Bank
EXPRESSING “TOO” WITH 也 (yě)
This is undoubtedly one of the most popular words in Chinese, so getting the hang of it early on should be one of the top priorities of any Chinese learner!
This article will explain to you how to use 也 in Chinese as well as some common mistakes and how to avoid them.
也 WITH VERB PHRASES
In this case, 也 (yě) often links verbs or verb phrases in sentences. This pattern can describe that somebody is being or doing the same thing as others.
It has the same meaning as “too” or “also” in English.
PATTERN
Subject + 也 + Verb / [Verb Phrase]
You’ll notice that in Chinese, adverbs ALWAYS precede the verb. So, the adverb 也 (yě) should be inserted after the subject and before the verb phrase.
我也想参加这个派对。
I also want to go to this party.他们也是法国人吗？
Are they French too?View More Phrases
| CHINESE | PINYIN | ENGLISH |
|---|---|---|
| 你也正在学中文吗？ | nǐ yě zhèng zài xué zhōng wén ma | Are you also learning Chinese? |
| 我爸爸是老师，我也是老师。 | wǒ bà bà shì lǎo shī，wǒ yě shì lǎo shī | My father is a teacher and so am I. |
| 这个书包我也很喜欢。 | zhè gè shū bāo wǒ yě hěn xǐ huān | I also like this bag. |
| 这幅油画也很贵。 | zhè fú yóu huà yě hěn guì | This oil painting is also expensive. |
| 和你一样，她也喜欢跳舞。 | hé nǐ yī yàng，tā yě xǐ huān tiào wǔ | Like you, she also likes to dance. |
NEGATIVE FORM OF 也
In English, we used to replace the word “too” with “either” in negative sentences, for instance:
A: I don’t like cats. || B: I don’t like cats, either.
While in Chinese, we just need to follow one simple rule: Put the negative part 不 (bù) or 没 (méi）after the adverb 也 (yě) , regardless of whether the sentence is positive (“I like cats too”) or negative (“I don’t like cats either”).
Back to the former example, in Chinese, we can say:
我不喜欢猫。
I don’t like cats.我也不喜欢猫。
I don’t like cats, either.View More Phrases
| CHINESE | PINYIN | ENGLISH |
|---|---|---|
| 我也不知道。 | wǒ yě bú zhī dào | I do not know either. |
| 你也不想参加明晚的派对吗？ | nǐ yě bú xiǎng cān jiā míng wǎn de pài duì ma | I don’t want to go to the party tomorrow night, either. |
| 我也不希望这样。 | wǒ yě bú xī wàng zhè yàng | I don’t want that either. |
| 我也没有这本书。 | wǒ yě méi yǒu zhè běn shū | I don’t have this book either. |
也 WITH ADJECTIVES
也 (yě) can also be used with adjectives. Typically, We include an adverb like 很 (hěn) before the adjective:
PATTERN
Subject + 也 (+ Adverb) + Adjective
Note that this sentence pattern is only applicable on informal occasions.
这个问题也很麻烦。
This problem is also troublesome.我觉得这个餐厅也很好。
I think this restaurant is also very good.View More Phrases
| CHINESE | PINYIN | ENGLISH |
|---|---|---|
| 他也很聪明。 | tā yě hěn cōng míng | He is also very smart. |
| 这条裙子也很漂亮。 | zhè tiáo qún zǐ yě hěn piāo liàng | This dress is also very beautiful. |
| 今天天气也很好。 | jīn tiān tiān qì yě hěn hǎo | Today’s weather is fine too. |
| 小狗很可爱，小猫也很可爱。 | xiǎo gǒu hěn kě ài，xiǎo māo yě hěn kě ài | The puppies are cute and so are the kittens. |
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FAQs
How do you say “too” and “also” in Chinese?
The most common way to say “too” and “also” in Chinese is 也 (yě).
This character can mean both “too” and “also,” but isn’t always uses the same as in English!
Make sure to learn some of the most important grammar rules regarding 也.
What is the 也 structure in Chinese?
There are two common 也 (yě) structures in Chinese:
— Verb Phrases: Subj. + 也 + Verb / [Verb Phrase]
— Adjectives: Subj. + 也 (+ Adv.) + Adj.
How do you make a negative 也 sentence?
In Chinese, you just need to follow one simple rule to make a 也 sentence negative:
Put the negative part 不 (bù) or 没（méi) after the adverb 也 (yě).
What are some example sentences with 也？
— 我也想参加这个派对。wǒ yě xiǎng cān jiā zhè gè pài duì // I also want to go to this party.
— 我也不知道。wǒ yě bú zhī dào // I do not know either.
— 这个问题也很麻烦。zhè gè wèn tí yě hěn má fán // This problem is also troublesome.
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