Structure
すでに + Phrase
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Formal
About すでに
As a formal alternative to もう, the adverb 既に is used in Japanese as 'already'. Usually, 既に will come at the beginning of a phrase that it is clarifying as being 'already (A)'.
すでに has several nuances in Japanese beyond just 'already', let's take a look at a few of these possibilities:
のこらず - Nothing remaining.
あまねく - All around.
ことごとく - Altogether.
もはや - Already.
まぎれもなく - Beyond doubt.
These may all seem quite different, but together they show the full meaning of 既に very clearly. That meaning is 'to be completely unchanging'. Let's take a look at how すでに can be used with each of these nuances.
Caution
Due to 既に implying something absolutely cannot be changed, it is often used to imply that something is 'too late', and that nothing else can be done about it.
- 電車はすでに出発しました。The train has left already. (And there is nothing we can do about it)
Synonyms
Examples
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時既に遅し。
You are already too late.
電話料金は既に払い終えました。
I have already paid the telephone bill.
あなたの席は既にここと決まっています。
It has already been decided that your seat will be here.
僕が来た時には、電気は既につけてあった。
The light was already on when I arrived.
旅行に行くための休みは既に取りました。
I had already taken a day off for a trip.
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Difference between もう and すでに
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すでに – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (5 in total)
MZa
Here and elsewhere the translation of 既に is almost always ‘already’ even when ‘too late’ could be meaningful. Is it due to the way how this word is really understood and used by Japanese? Is there another word to say ‘too late’ without ambiguity?
Daru
The basic meaning is always ‘implying something absolutely cannot be changed’. So rather than losing one of the meanings, its really the same one being changed around to better fit a translation.
Hope this helps!
Sidgr
Does anyone have an intuition on the difference in nuance between:
- もうすでに
- すでに
In general I have always thought of 既に to be a direct formality increase, but this suggests otherwise.
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