Spanish language, like English, has a range of adverbs that can change the meaning of a sentence. Among them are the adverbs equivalent to ‘already’ and ‘yet’, which are ‘ya‘ and ‘aún‘ or ‘todavía’, respectively. These words play a crucial role in expressing time references, completion of tasks, and expectations.
‘Ya‘, the Spanish term for ‘already’, is used to indicate that an action has taken place or a condition is met. It generally implies the completion of an action. For example, “Ya he terminado la tarea” translates to “I have already finished the homework.” It can also express an action that will occur in the immediate future, like “Ya salgo”, which means “I’m leaving right now”.
On the other hand, ‘aún‘ or ‘todavía’, which mean ‘yet’ or ‘still’ in English, indicate that an action is ongoing or hasn’t happened up to the present moment but is expected to happen. For instance, “Aún no he terminado la tarea” or “Todavía no he terminado la tarea” both mean “I haven’t finished the homework yet.” They can also mean ‘still’, as in “Todavía está lloviendo” which means “It’s still raining”.
In negative sentences, ‘ya‘ can change its meaning. When used with ‘no’, ‘ya no‘ means ‘no longer’. For example, “Ya no vivo aquí” translates to “I no longer live here”.
These adverbs are key to expressing and understanding time frames and the progress of actions in Spanish. Mastering their usage can significantly enhance your fluency and clarity in Spanish communication.