“Always” in Chinese 3 – 老是 lǎoshì

Posted on by tiffany

OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 5
Grammar Point · HSK 5

老是 lǎoshì — “Always” (with an eye-roll)

老是 lǎoshì means “always,” same as 總是 zǒngshì — but it almost always carries a complaint. You reach for 老是 when something keeps happening and it’s starting to bug you.

老是 lǎoshì — Always, Chinese grammar

老是 sits before the verb, exactly where 總是 goes — the difference is entirely in tone, not grammar.

1Structure

S + 老是 lǎoshì + V

Word Tone Usage
总是 zǒngshì Neutral Just states that something is invariably true — positive, negative, or neutral, no attitude attached.
老是 lǎoshì Exasperated / complaining Same meaning, but almost always signals the speaker is annoyed, tired of it, or complaining about the repetition.
你nǐ老是lǎoshì迟到chídào，到底dàodǐ怎么zěnme回事huíshì？
You’re always late, what’s going on?
他tā老是lǎoshì忘记wàngjì带dài钥匙yàoshi。
He’s always forgetting his keys.
我wǒ老是lǎoshì被bèi蚊子wénzi咬yǎo。
I always get bitten by mosquitoes.
她tā老是lǎoshì拿ná我wǒ跟gēn别人biéren比较bǐjiào。
She’s always comparing me to others.
你nǐ老是lǎoshì这样zhèyàng，我wǒ受shòu不bù了liǎo了le。
You’re always like this, I can’t take it anymore.
这zhè台tái电脑diànnǎo老是lǎoshì死机sǐjī。
This computer always crashes.
小xiǎo孩子háizi老是lǎoshì问wèn为什么wèishénme。
Kids are always asking “why.”

2Common Mistake

❌ 医生yīshēng老是lǎoshì很hěn专业zhuānyè
✅ 医生yīshēng总是zǒngshì很hěn专业zhuānyè
老是 lǎoshì carries a complaining tone — it doesn’t fit neutral or positive statements. Use 总是 zǒngshì instead.

3Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01My roommate is always playing loud music.
我wǒ室友shìyǒu老是lǎoshì放fàng很hěn大dà声shēng的de音乐yīnyuè。
👆 Tap to reveal
02You’re always on your phone.
你nǐ老是lǎoshì在zài滑huá手机shǒujī。
👆 Tap to reveal
03He’s always complaining about work.
他tā老是lǎoshì抱怨bàoyuàn工作gōngzuò。
👆 Tap to reveal
04Why are you always late?
你nǐ为wèi什么shénme老是lǎoshì迟到chídào？
👆 Tap to reveal
05This printer always jams.
这zhè台tái打印机dǎyìnjī老是lǎoshì卡纸kǎzhǐ。
👆 Tap to reveal
06My little sister always borrows my clothes without asking.
我wǒ妹妹mèimei老是lǎoshì不bù问wèn就jiù借jiè我wǒ的de衣服yīfu。
👆 Tap to reveal
07The bus is always crowded during rush hour.
高峰gāofēng时间shíjiān公交车gōngjiāochē老是lǎoshì很hěn挤jǐ。
👆 Tap to reveal
08Why does it always rain on weekends?
为wèi什么shénme周末zhōumò老是lǎoshì下雨xiàyǔ？
👆 Tap to reveal

Related Grammar

→总 zǒng / 总是 zǒngshì — “Always”(HSK 3) →“Repeatedly” in Chinese — 一再 yīzài, 再三 zàisān(HSK 6)

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