すでに (JLPT N3)

About すでに

As a formal alternative to もう, the adverb 既(すで)に is used in Japanese as 'already'. Usually, 既(すで)に will come at the beginning of a phrase that it is clarifying as being 'already (A)'.

お湯(ゆ)はすでにわいている。
The hot water is already boiled.
すでにお支払(しはら)い済(ず)みです。
It has already been paid for.

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(すで)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.

もうすでにチケットは売(う)り切(き)れです。
The tickets are already sold out. (Nothing remains)
彼(かれ)はすでに国民(こくみん)から名前(なまえ)を忘(わす)れられている。
His name has already been forgotten by the citizens. (Universal opinion)
彼(かれ)はすでにみんなと仲良(なかよ)くなっていた。
He was already becoming friends with absolutely everyone. (Altogether)
さっき食(た)べたばかりなのに、もうすでにお腹(なか)が空(す)いてきた。
I just ate earlier, but I am already starting to get hungry.
これはすでに決(き)まった事(こと)なので、もう私達(わたしたち)じゃ何(なに)もできません。
It is beyond doubt that this has been decided, so we can't do anything about it. (Beyond doubt)

Caution

Due to 既(すで)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(でんしゃ)はすでに出発(しゅっぱつ)しました。
The train has left already. (And there is nothing we can do about it)

Synonyms

もう
Already, Anymore
Not studied yet

Examples

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既(すで)に知(し)っているかもしれませんが、確認(かくにん)のためにもう一度(いちど)聞(き)いてください。

You may already know, but please listen once more just to be sure.

一番(いちばん)乗(の)りだと思(おも)ったら、既(すで)に先客(せんきゃく)がいた。

I thought I was the first to arrive, but there was already someone there before me.

時(とき)既(すで)に遅(おそ)し。

You are already too late.

電話(でんわ)料金(りょうきん)は既(すで)に払(はら)い終(お)えました。

I have already paid the telephone bill.

焼(や)きたてのパンを買(か)おうとした時(とき)には既(すで)に売(う)り切(き)れでした。

The freshly baked bread was already sold out when I was about to buy it.

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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.