已经 vs 就 (yǐjīng vs jiù): “already” with completion vs. earliness
已经 (yǐjīng) states that an action has been completed by a reference time, neutrally indicating “already.” 就 (jiù) also means “already,” but adds a subjective nuance that the action happened earlier than expected or sooner than a reference point. The two can be combined (e.g., 就已经 or 早就已经) to emphasize earliness.
Both 已经 and 就 can express the English word “already,” but they carry different nuances. 已经 is a neutral marker of completion, stating that something has happened by a given time (e.g., 他已经到了 “He has already arrived”). 就, when used for “already,” adds a subjective sense of earliness or “sooner than expected,” and often pairs with a specific time or the adverb 早 (zǎo) (e.g., 他八点就到了 “He arrived as early as 8 o’clock”). Importantly, 已经 and 就 are not mutually exclusive; they can be combined (e.g., 他昨天就已经来了 “He already came yesterday” – emphasizing that yesterday was earlier than expected). Understanding this distinction helps learners choose the appropriate word based on whether they simply report completion or imply unexpected speed.
When to use each
Use 已经 to state that an action has been completed by the time of speaking or by a specific reference time. It is objective and does not comment on whether the action was early or late. It is the standard choice for simply saying “already” in factual statements, often occurring with 了.
已经 can also be used with a specific time, but it still sounds neutral, lacking the subjective earliness that 就 conveys.
Use 就 when you want to emphasize that something happened earlier than expected or sooner than a reference point. It often appears with a specific time (e.g., 早上, 八点) or with 早 (zǎo) to stress earliness. In this ‘already’ sense, 就 is subjective and carries a nuance of surprise or contrast with a norm.
就 has many other meanings (e.g., ‘then’, ‘only’, ‘exactly’). In the ‘already’ use, it typically appears before the verb and after a time or condition.
At a glance
| 已经 | 就 | |
|---|---|---|
| Core meaning | Neutral completion: action done by a time | Subjective earliness: action done sooner than expected |
| Subjectivity | Objective, factual | Subjective, implies contrast with expectation |
| Common collocations | Often with 了 (e.g., 已经…了) | Often with a time phrase or 早 (e.g., 早就…了) |
| Position in sentence | Before the verb, after the subject | Before the verb, often after a time or condition |
| Can be combined? | Yes, 已经 can precede 就 (e.g., 就已经) | Yes, 就 can follow 已经 (e.g., 就已经) |
Examples
- 已经我已经吃了饭。Wǒ yǐjīng chī le fàn.I have already eaten.Neutral completion – no implication of earliness.
- 就他八点就来了。Tā bā diǎn jiù lái le.He came as early as 8 o’clock.Emphasizes that 8 o’clock was earlier than expected.
- 就他昨天就已经来了。Tā zuótiān yǐjīng jiù lái le.He already came yesterday.Combined 已经 and 就 to stress that yesterday was early; this is natural and common.
- 就我早就知道了。Wǒ zǎo jiù zhīdào le.I knew it long ago.Using 早就 emphasizes that the knowledge was acquired much earlier than one might think.
- 已经电影已经开始了。Diànyǐng yǐjīng kāishǐ le.The movie has already started.Simple factual statement of completion.
- 就我早上六点就起床了。✗我用“已经”也可以，但缺少“早起”的强调。Wǒ zǎoshang liù diǎn jiù qǐchuáng le.I got up as early as 6 in the morning.Using 就 highlights the early time. Using 已经 here would simply report completion without the subjective nuance.
Common mistakes
- Using 就 instead of 已经 for a neutral statement of completion: 我*就吃了饭 should be 我已经吃了饭.
- Using 已经 when you want to emphasize unexpected earliness: 我早上六点*已经起床了 is fine but lacks the ‘so early’ nuance that 就 provides.
- Thinking that 已经 and 就 cannot be combined (e.g., 已经就 or 早就已经 are very common and correct).
- Using 就 with a future time to mean “already”: 就 requires a past or completed action for the ‘already’ sense; for future, 就 means ‘then’ or ‘immediately’.
FAQ
- When do I use 已经 versus 就 for 'already'?
- Use 已经 for a neutral statement that something is completed: 我已经写完作业了 (I have already finished my homework). Use 就 when you want to emphasize that something happened earlier than expected: 他八岁就上学了 (He started school as early as age 8).
- Can 已经 and 就 be used together?
- Yes, they can be combined, often as 就已经 or 早就已经, to emphasize that something happened early or already by a certain time. For example: 他去年就已经毕业了 (He already graduated last year) implies that last year was earlier than expected.
- Does 就 always mean 'already'?
- No, 就 has many meanings including 'then', 'only', 'immediately', and 'exactly'. The 'already' (earliness) sense is just one use, typically when 就 appears after a time phrase or 早 with a past action. For example, 我马上就走 means 'I will leave immediately' (not 'already').
- How do I emphasize something happened very early?
- Use 早就 (zǎo jiù) or combine 已经 and 就: e.g., 我早就知道 (I knew it long ago) or 他昨天就已经来了 (He already came yesterday, earlier than expected).