<p>已经 (already) can be placed before or after the verb in both Chinese and English if it is followed by a time period</p>

<p>这对老人(已经相爱)三十多年了 = this old couple <strong>have already been</strong> in love for more than 30 years </p>

<p>这对老人相爱(已经三十多年了) = this old couple <strong>have been</strong> in love for more than 30 years <strong>already</strong></p>

<p>他(已经睡了)四个小时了 = he <strong>has already been</strong> sleeping for four hours</p>

<p>他睡了(已经四个小时了) = he <strong>has been</strong> sleeping for four hours <strong>already</strong></p>

<p>他们(已经恋爱)一年多了 = they <strong>have already been</strong> in love for over a year</p>

<p>他们恋爱(已经一年多了) = they <strong>have been</strong> in love for over a year <strong>already</strong></p>

<p>If it is not followed by a time period then 已经 (already) must be placed before the verb</p>

<p>Example:</p>

<p>(已经问)了他' (had already asked him)  cannot be changed to '问了他已经'</p>

<p>(已经问了)他一年' (have already asked him for a year) can be changed to 问了他(已经一年)</p>

<p><em>In short, when there's no time period at the end, the adverb '已经' must be placed before the verb; if there is a time period at the end , then 已经 is functioning as the adverb for the omitted verb '经过' or '有' in 已经(经过/有)一年</em></p>

<p><em>They are in fact two different types of Chinese grammar structures</em></p>

<p><em>"已经问了他" is a [verb + object] structure with '问了' as the verb and '他' as the object</em></p>

<p><em>"问了他已经一年" is a [topic + comment] structure, in which, '问了他' is the topic and '已经一年' is the comment</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-24T19:18:49.747Z
There's no more to ask, really clear answer. Thanks a lot!
Don't Care
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-23T22:50:40.540Z
2018-08-24T20:44:25.747Z
2018-08-24T20:44:25.747Z
Tang Ho
<p>Since 已经 is an adverb I thought I'd always have to put it before the verb like in:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>1) 这对老人已经相爱三十多年了</p>
  
  <p>2) 他已经睡四个小时了</p>
</blockquote>

<p>But I found a sentence on my book that say:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>他们恋爱已经一年多了</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It should translate to "They have been in love for more than 1 year already", right? Then why 已经 is placed after and not before the verb?</p>

<translation><grammar><usage><word>
The position of 已经 in "have been doing something for some times already"
# The position of 已经 in "have been doing something for some times already"

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-08-23)

Since 已经 is an adverb I thought I'd always have to put it before the verb like in:

> 1) 这对老人已经相爱三十多年了
>
> 2) 他已经睡四个小时了

But I found a sentence on my book that say:

> 他们恋爱已经一年多了

It should translate to "They have been in love for more than 1 year already", right? Then why 已经 is placed after and not before the verb?

**Tags:** translation, grammar, usage, word


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-08-23. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

已经 (already) can be placed before or after the verb in both Chinese and English if it is followed by a time period

这对老人(已经相爱)三十多年了 = this old couple **have already been** in love for more than 30 years

这对老人相爱(已经三十多年了) = this old couple **have been** in love for more than 30 years **already**

他(已经睡了)四个小时了 = he **has already been** sleeping for four hours

他睡了(已经四个小时了) = he **has been** sleeping for four hours **already**

他们(已经恋爱)一年多了 = they **have already been** in love for over a year

他们恋爱(已经一年多了) = they **have been** in love for over a year **already**

If it is not followed by a time period then 已经 (already) must be placed before the verb

Example:

(已经问)了他' (had already asked him) cannot be changed to '问了他已经'

(已经问了)他一年' (have already asked him for a year) can be changed to 问了他(已经一年)

*In short, when there's no time period at the end, the adverb '已经' must be placed before the verb; if there is a time period at the end , then 已经 is functioning as the adverb for the omitted verb '经过' or '有' in 已经(经过/有)一年*

*They are in fact two different types of Chinese grammar structures*

*"已经问了他" is a [verb + object] structure with '问了' as the verb and '他' as the object*

*"问了他已经一年" is a [topic + comment] structure, in which, '问了他' is the topic and '已经一年' is the comment*

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: There's no more to ask, really clear answer. Thanks a lot!  

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