也 (also)

• Pinyin: yě
• Formation: Subject + 也 + Verb / Adjective

Meaning

The adverb 也 (yě) means 'also' or 'too' and is placed before the verb to indicate that the subject shares the same action or quality as someone or something previously mentioned.

Unlike English 'also' or 'too,' which can appear at various positions in a sentence, 也 must always come directly before the verb or adjective predicate — never at the beginning or end of the sentence. When used with 不, 也 comes first: 也不. Similarly, with auxiliary verbs like 会, 能, or 想, 也 precedes them: 也会, 也能. A common mistake is placing 也 after the verb, which is ungrammatical in Chinese. Note that 也 can also be used in the pattern 也...也... to express 'both...and...' when listing two qualities or actions.

Examples

1. 我喜欢游泳，她也喜欢游泳。 I like swimming, and she also likes swimming.
2. 这道菜好吃，那道菜也好吃。 This dish is delicious, and that dish is also delicious.
3. 哥哥会弹吉他，妹妹也会。 The older brother can play guitar, and the younger sister can too.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 我也想去那家新开的餐厅。
• 这个问题我也不太清楚。
• 他不仅会画画，也会写书法。
• 下次你去图书馆的时候，也帮我借一本书吧。

Don't Say

• 我喜欢也游泳。(也 must be placed before the entire verb phrase, not between the verb and its object) → 我也喜欢游泳。
• 也我喜欢吃火锅。(也 cannot be placed at the beginning of a sentence before the subject — it must come after the subject) → 我也喜欢吃火锅。
• 她去了北京也。(也 cannot appear at the end of a sentence — it must come before the verb) → 她也去了北京。

Origin & History

The character 也 originally functioned as a sentence-final particle in Classical Chinese, indicating assertion or emphasis. Its modern use as an adverb meaning 'also' developed during the medieval period as spoken Chinese grammar evolved away from classical patterns.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal