“Also” in Chinese – 還/还 hái and 也 yě

Grammar Point:
The word “also” in Chinese can be translated as 還还 hái or 也 yě. Both are commonly used to indicate inclusion or addition in a sentence. It is important to note that they are always placed before the verb or adjective in Chinese sentences.

Structure

S + 也 yě + V

也 yě generally indicates that something is included in a similar way to what has been mentioned or in addition to it which can be translated into “also,” “either,” or “too” in English.

我wǒ喜歡xǐhuān狗gǒu， 我wǒ弟弟dìdi也yě喜歡xǐhuān狗gǒu我wǒ喜欢xǐhuan狗gǒu， 我wǒ弟弟dìdi也yě喜欢xǐhuan狗gǒu
I like dogs, and my younger brother likes them, too.

我wǒ也yě要yào喝hē珍珠奶茶zhēnzhūnǎichá！ 我wǒ也yě要yào喝hē珍珠奶茶zhēnzhūnǎichá！
I want to drink bubble tea, too!

你nǐ明天míngtiān也yě會huì翹課qiàokè嗎ma？ 你nǐ明天míngtiān也yě会huì翘课qiàokè吗ma？
Will you also skip class tomorrow?

你nǐ也yě覺得juéde中文zhōngwén很hěn難nán嗎ma？ 你nǐ也yě觉得juéde中文zhōngwén很hěn难nán吗ma？
Do you also find Chinese difficult?

When using negation, the negated word has to be placed after 也 yě.

他tā不bù吃chī肉ròu， 你nǐ也yě不bù吃chī肉ròu嗎ma？ 他tā不bù吃chī肉ròu， 你nǐ也yě不bù吃chī肉ròu吗ma？
He doesn’t eat meat. Do you also not eat meat?

我wǒ也yě不bù想xiǎng學xué中文zhōngwén我wǒ也yě不bù想xiǎng学xué中文zhōngwén
I don’t want to learn Chinese either.

我wǒ也yě沒méi錢qián我wǒ也yě没méi钱qián
I have no money either.

S + 也 yě + SV

明天míngtiān天氣tiānqì也yě很hěn熱rè明天míngtiān天气tiānqì也yě很hěn热rè
The weather will be hot tomorrow, too.

我wǒ今天jīntiān也yě很hěn忙máng我wǒ今天jīntiān也yě很hěn忙máng
I’m busy today as well.

日文rìwén難nán， 韓文hánwén也yě難nán， 為什麼wèishénme語言yǔyán都dōu很hěn難nán日文rìwén难nán， 韩文hánwén也yě难nán， 为什么wèishénme语言yǔyán都dōu很hěn难nán
Japanese is difficult, and Korean is also difficult. Why are all languages difficult?

我wǒ很hěn高gāo， 我wǒ弟弟dìdi也yě很hěn高gāo我wǒ很hěn高gāo， 我wǒ弟弟dìdi也yě很hěn高gāo
I’m tall, and my younger brother is tall, too.

S V O + 還/还 hái + V O

The adverb 還还 hái can be used to connect two phrases together, similar to the way “and also” is used in English. When comparing it with 也 yě, 還还 hái carries the meaning of additionally or in addition to.

我wǒ喜歡xǐhuān狗gǒu還hái喜歡xǐhuān貓māo我wǒ喜欢xǐhuan狗gǒu还hái喜欢xǐhuan猫māo
I like dogs and cats.

她tā會huì說shuō日文rìwén還hái會huì說shuō韓文hánwén她tā会huì说shuō日文rìwén还hái会huì说shuō韩文hánwén
She can speak Japanese and Korean.

我wǒ週末zhōumò要yào爬山páshān還hái要yào去qù海邊hǎibiān我wǒ周末zhōumò要yào爬山páshān还hái要yào去qù海边hǎibiān
I’m going hiking and going to the beach this weekend.

我wǒ早上zǎoshàng喝hē了le咖啡kāfēi還hái吃chī了le麵包miànbāo我wǒ早上zǎoshang喝hē了le咖啡kāfēi还hái吃chī了le面包miànbāo
I had coffee and ate bread in the morning.

我wǒ有yǒu一個yíge先生xiānshēng還hái有yǒu一個yíge男朋友nánpéngyǒu我wǒ有yǒu一个yíge丈夫zhàngfu还hái有yǒu一个yíge男朋友nánpéngyou 😏
I have a husband and a boyfriend.

Difference between 也 yě and 還/还 hái

也 yě and 還还 hái are sometimes interchangeable, but there are certain nuances in their usage. 也 yě is typically used when two different subjects are doing the same thing, while 還还 hái is often used when one subject is doing two different things.

我wǒ喜歡xǐhuān狗gǒu也yě喜歡xǐhuān貓māo = 我wǒ喜歡xǐhuan狗gǒu還hái喜歡xǐhuan貓māo我wǒ喜欢xǐhuān狗gǒu也yě喜欢xǐhuān猫māo = 我wǒ喜欢xǐhuan狗gǒu还hái喜欢xǐhuan猫māo
I like dogs and cats.

你nǐ要yào喝hē咖啡kāfēi， 我wǒ也yě要yào喝hē咖啡kāfēi你nǐ要yào喝hē咖啡kāfēi， 我wǒ也yě要yào喝hē咖啡kāfēi
You want to drink coffee, and I also want to drink coffee.

我wǒ要yào喝hē咖啡kāfēi還hái要yào喝hē果汁guǒzhī我wǒ要yào喝hē咖啡kāfēi还hái要yào喝hē果汁guǒzhī
I want to drink coffee and also juice.

Common Mistakes

It is important to note that 也 yě is always placed before the verb and after the subject in Chinese sentences.

她tā有yǒu狗gǒu， 我wǒ有yǒu狗gǒu也yě她tā有yǒu狗gǒu， 我wǒ有yǒu狗gǒu也yě ❌

她tā有yǒu狗gǒu， 也yě我wǒ有yǒu狗gǒu她tā有yǒu狗gǒu， 也yě我wǒ有yǒu狗gǒu ❌

她tā有yǒu狗gǒu， 我wǒ也yě有yǒu狗gǒu她tā有yǒu狗gǒu， 我wǒ也yě有yǒu狗gǒu ✅
She has a dog, I have a dog, too.

How to say “me, too” in Chinese

我wǒ也yě我wǒ也yě ❌

我wǒ也yě是shì我wǒ也yě是shì ✅

+ 1 ✅

FYI
the phrase “+1” (加一/jiāyī) is commonly used to express “me too” or “same here” in informal contexts. It is similar to the concept of “liking” or “upvoting” a comment or post on social media platforms. By using “+1,” someone is indicating that they share the same opinion or experience as the previous speaker. This usage is derived from internet culture and has become popular in informal conversations among Chinese speakers.

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ I would like a cup of black tea, and she would also like a cup of black tea.

我wǒ要yào一杯yìbēi紅茶hóngchá， 她tā也yě要yào一杯yìbēi紅茶hóngchá我wǒ要yào一杯yìbēi红茶hóngchá， 她tā也yě要yào一杯yìbēi红茶hóngchá

✔️ Is there anything else you need?

還hái需要xūyào什麼shénme嗎ma？ 还hái需要xūyào什么shénme吗ma？

✔️ I would also like a piece of cake, thank you.

我wǒ還hái要yào一個yíge蛋糕dàngāo， 謝謝xièxie我wǒ还hái要yào一个yíge蛋糕dàngāo， 谢谢xièxie