<p>Indeed "It looks as if she's gone away for a few days" is an incorrect translation.</p>

<p>I would translate this as "It seems she's already been gone for quite a few days".</p>

<p>If the 已 were excluded, I would translate it as "It seems she's been gone for quite a few days."</p>

<p>So the 已 emphasizes the passage of time, just like "already" in English.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-08-22T05:08:27.133Z
2012-08-22T05:08:27.133Z
Dan
<p>已=已经. It just represents the past perfect tense. I think [been] is necessary here. The sentence implies that the subject never came back during the few days, in this case past perfect tense is appropriate.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-09-12T15:18:35.907Z
2012-09-13T16:02:44.657Z
2012-09-13T16:02:44.657Z
Li Lin
<p>Here 已 has the same meaning as 已经 and means already. When speaking one would normally use 已经, but in written documents 已 can be found.</p>

<p>I would translate 好像她已出去好几天了 as "It seems she's already been gone for some days".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-08-10T14:49:26.937Z
Agree. That's right.
杨以轩
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-08-10T19:52:37.567Z
Ah. Or "It seems she's already _been_ gone for some days"?
Kyle L
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-08-10T14:43:08.393Z
2012-08-11T06:26:44.540Z
2012-08-11T06:26:44.540Z
BertR
<p>What is the purpose of <code>已</code> in the following sentence？</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>好像她已出去好几天了。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The English translation given is:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>It looks as if she's gone away for a few days.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Or is this an incorrect-character, supposed to be something else?</p>

<grammar><usage>
What is the function of 已 in 好像她已出去好几天了。
# What is the function of 已 in 好像她已出去好几天了。

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-08-10)

What is the purpose of `已` in the following sentence？

> 好像她已出去好几天了。

The English translation given is:

> It looks as if she's gone away for a few days.

Or is this an incorrect-character, supposed to be something else?

**Tags:** grammar, usage


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2012-08-10. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

Here 已 has the same meaning as 已经 and means already. When speaking one would normally use 已经, but in written documents 已 can be found.

I would translate 好像她已出去好几天了 as "It seems she's already been gone for some days".

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Agree. That's right.  
> **username_0**: Ah. Or "It seems she's already _been_ gone for some days"?  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2012-08-22. Score: 2

Indeed "It looks as if she's gone away for a few days" is an incorrect translation.

I would translate this as "It seems she's already been gone for quite a few days".

If the 已 were excluded, I would translate it as "It seems she's been gone for quite a few days."

So the 已 emphasizes the passage of time, just like "already" in English.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2012-09-12. Score: 0

已=已经. It just represents the past perfect tense. I think [been] is necessary here. The sentence implies that the subject never came back during the few days, in this case past perfect tense is appropriate.


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