Ya vs. Todavía/Aún –
Are you able to use these two adverbs correctly? In this series of two podcasts I-001 and I-002, we will be talking about these adverbs of time “Ya“, “Todavía“, and “Aún“. In this first episode, we will focus only on “Ya“. Oh! And at the end of the second one, we are going to have an exercise with these adverbs. Therefore, with both episodes, we intend to elaborate our simple guide to “Still” and “Yet” in Spanish to help you stop having the problems you are having everytime you intend to use them.
Let me ask you something. When you want to use “Ya“, are you taking into account whether the sentence is interrogative, affirmative, or negative? You should since the meaning changes depending on the type of sentence! This is why when you translate “Ya” from Spanish to English or any other language, you keep having weird sentences.
However, I want to go a step beyond what any post on the Internet can teach you about this topic. You can find all this in an infographics. The thing is there is one more thing you may not have been told about, and infographics can’t help you: intonation. Are you aware of the different intonations native Spanish speakers use with “Ya” and “Todavía“? Come with me, and we will go deeper into the meaning of both, and the contexts where intonation matters. This is why I am doing a podcast and not an article, or an infographics, because intonation is essential to get the meaning.
“Ya” and “Todavía”, logical at last!
Spanish transcription and English translation
Ya vs. Todavía - Introducción (01:35)
Ya vs. Todavía - Introduction (01:35)
Yo sé que cuando estudias una lengua quieres una respuesta rápida sobre qué significa esta o aquella palabra.
I know that when you study a language, you want to have a quick answer about what this or that word means.
-“Profesora, ¿qué significa “sí”?”
-“Yes.”
-“Teacher, what does “sí” mean?”
-“Yes.”
-“¿Y qué significa “casa”?”
-“House.”
-“And what does “casa” mean?”
-“House.”
Si es lo que quieres, puedo responderte con una respuesta rápida: ya significa already, anymore y now. Pero esta respuesta no es completa, ¿verdad? Es confusa porque, ¿cuándo significa already? ¿Cuándo anymore? ¿Y cuándo now?
If this is what you want, I can reply with a quick answer: ya means already, anymore, and now. But this is not a complete answer, is it? It is confusing because when does it mean already? When anymore? When now?
It also happens with Todavía (and with Aún), it means still, and it means yet.
“Pero… profesora, ¿cuándo? ¿en qué contextos? ¡Me estoy liando!”2
“But … teacher, when? In which contexts? I am getting confused!”2
Claro, por eso he hecho estos podcasts, te lo explico todo ahora, pero antes, ¿conoces la expresión me estoy liando? Significa me estoy confundiendo, pero es un poco más informal y la usamos mucho en conversación así que aprenderla es una buena idea.
Right, that’s why I made these podcasts. I will explain all to you now, but before, do you know the expression me estoy liando? It means I am getting confused, but it is more informal, and we use it a lot in conversation. So it is a good idea to learn it.
Información básica (02:54)
Basic information (02:54)
Primero es importante que entiendas dos cosas sobre estas dos palabras:
First, it is essential to understand two things about these two words.
1) El significado va a depender de si la oración es afirmativa o negativa.
1)The meaning will depend on if the sentence is affirmative or negative.
2) Generalmente, con la palabra ya hay un cambio3de acción y con la palabra todavía justamente lo opuesto: no hay cambio, todo sigue igual.
2)In general, with the word ya there is a change of action, and with the word todavia right the opposite, there is no change, everything stays the same.
Ahora necesito hacer un pequeño inciso4 para explicarte algo.
Now I need to add an aside to explain something to you.
¿Sabes que es un inciso? Un inciso es una interrupción en lo que estás contando para explicar algo diferente y luego volver a lo que estabas contando.
Do you know what an aside is? An aside is an interruption in what you are telling to explain something differently, and then go back to what you were saying.
Este primer inciso es para recordarte qué es una oración afirmativa y qué es una oración negativa.
This first aside is to remind you what an affirmative and a negative sentence are.
Una oración negativa es una oración donde hay palabras negativas.
A negative sentence is a sentence where there are negative words.
Una oración afirmativa es una oración donde no hay palabras negativas. Aquí termino con este inciso.
An affirmative sentence is a sentence where there are no negative words. I finish here with this aside.
El adverbio “ya” (04:23)
Adverb “Ya” (04:23)
Vuelvo a lo que te estaba explicando. Vamos a ver ejemplos con el adverbio Ya.
I am back to what I was saying. Let’s see examples with adverb Ya.
Primero vamos a hablar de oraciones completas que tienen la palabra Ya entre otras palabras y después vamos a ver frases donde la única9 palabra que existe es el adverbio Ya, no hay más palabras en esas frases. Si no hay sujeto ni verbo, entonces son frases, no oraciones.
First, we are going to talk about complete sentences that have the word Ya, among others, and then we are going to see sentences where the only word standing is the adverb Ya. There are no more words in those phrases. If there is no subject, nor verb, then they are phrases rather than sentences.
Esto es exactamente igual en inglés, en inglés existe la palabra sentence y la palabra phrase.
This is precisely the same in English. In English, there is the word sentence and the word phrase.
Cuando “ya” significa already. Oraciones afirmativas(05:03)
When “Ya“means already. Affirmative sentences (05:03)
Ya significa already en oraciones afirmativas:
Ya means already in affirmative sentences.
“Ya he visto la última temporada10 completa de esa serie.”
“I have already watched the entire last season of that series.”
¿Recuerdas que te decía que con el adverbio “Ya” normalmente hay un cambio?
Do you remember I said that with the adverb “Ya” there is usually a change?
Evidentemente hay un cambio cuando dices Ya he visto la temporada completa de esa serie, porque ayer esto no era cierto11 pero me he quedado en casa12 24 horas sin dormir, sin casi comer y sin ducharme para ver tooodos los episodios de esa temporada de esa serie, y ahora ya he terminado y estoy haciendo otra cosa como … ducharme, comer y, en un momento, dormir jajaja.
Obviously, there is a change when you say I have already watched the entire last season of that series because yesterday, this was not true. However, I stayed at home for 24 hours, not sleeping, almost not eating, and not showering to watch all the episodes of that season of that series. And now I have finished, and I am doing something else such as taking a shower, eating, and in a moment, sleeping, hahaha.
Cuando ya significa now. Oraciones afirmativas (05:57)
When ya means now. Affirmative sentences (05:57)
¿Cuándo “ya” significa “now”?
When does “Ya” mean “Now”?
En frases hechas13 afirmativas, es decir, en frases fijas afirmativas.
In affirmative set expression, this is in fixed affirmative phrases.
Vamos a ver un contexto para esto.
Let’s see a context for this.
Imagina que estás esperando a tu amigo en la puerta de su casa y le escribes un mensaje en el que le preguntas:
Pretend you are waiting for your friend at his door house, and you message him and ask
-“¿Estás listo ya? Estoy afuera de tu casa esperándote, en el coche.”
-“Are you ready now? I am outside your house waiting for you in the car.”
–Y tu amigo te responde con esta frase afirmativa también:
-“Sí, ya voy.”
And your friend replies with this also affirmative phrase
-“Yes, coming now.”
Tu amigo no estaba listo antes, estaba vistiéndose, peinándose, etc… y ahora hay un cambio porque ahora está listo, o al menos, eso dice…
Your friend was not ready before. He was getting dressed, getting his hair done, etc…and now there is a change because he is now prepared, or at least that’s what he says.
En estos casos en los que significa now, ya aparece con frases fijas como ya voy, que Es una frase típica que vas a escuchar todo el tiempo en español.
In these cases in which ya means now, it appears with set expressions such as coming now. It is a typical phrase that you are going to listen in Spanish all the time.
Otras respuestas equivalentes podrían ser Ya salgo, Ya voy para afuera, Ya llego, …
Other equivalent answers could be Leaving now, Going outside now, Getting there now, etc.
Normalmente es un contexto de respuesta a alguien que está esperando algo de ti y lo usas para decir que estás listo para eso que la otra persona espera de ti.
Usually, it happens in the context of replying to someone who is waiting or expecting something from you. And you use it to say that you are ready for that this person is waiting or hoping from you.
Cuando “Ya” significa “anymore”. Oraciones negativas (07:21)
When “Ya” means “Anymore”. Negative sentences (07:21)
¿Recuerdas que también te dije que Ya podía significar anymore? Esto ocurre cuando la oración es negativa:
“Ya no quiero estar contigo.”
De nuevo14 hay un cambio porque durante un tiempo yo quería estar contigo y ahora ya no quiero, hay algo que ha cambiado, y ahora quiero otra cosa porque tú eras muy divertido y ahora eres súper aburrido, ¡necesito alguien más gracioso15 en mi vida!
Do you remember that I told you that Ya could mean anymore? This happens when the sentence is negative.
“I don’t want to be with you anymore.”
Again there is a change because, for a while, I wanted to be with you, and now I don’t want. There is something that has changed, and now I want a different thing because you used to be fun, and now you are very dull. I need someone funnier in my life!
“Ya” en oraciones interrogativas (07:58)
“Ya” in interrogative sentences (07:58)
Quizás ahora estás pensando ¿y qué pasa con las interrogativas?
Maybe you are thinking now, and what happens with the interrogative ones?
Pues exactamente igual porque una interrogativa puede ser afirmativa o negativa, ¿correcto? Te doy dos ejemplos:
Well, exactly the same because an interrogative can be affirmative or negative, right? I will give you two examples.
“¿Has visto ya la última temporada de esta serie? Es increíble.”
“Have you watched the last season of that series yet? It is incredible.”
Esta es una oración interrogativa afirmativa donde ya significa already.
This is an interrogative affirmative sentence where ya means already.
O como:
“¿Ya no quieres estar conmigo?”
Or such
“Don’t you want to be with me anymore?”
Que es una oración interrogativa negativa donde ya significa anymore.
Which is a negative interrogative sentence where ya means anymore.
You can also hear it like “Not anymore?” If someone tells you I don’t want to be with you anymore, you could reply with “Not anymore? What did I do wrong for you not to love me anymore, Luisa Fernanda?” Typical soap opera script.
Frases con “Ya“(09:00)
Phrases with “Ya” (09:00)
He empezado hablando de ya en oraciones completas, donde hay más palabras, ¿correcto? Y te dije que en segundo lugar iba a hablarte de las frases donde ya es la única palabra de esas frases.
I started talking about ya in complete sentences, where there are more words apart from ya, right? And I told you that in the second place I will speak to you about the phrases where ya is the only word in those phrases.
Pues bien, en casi todos estos casos, ya es una respuesta, la única respuesta que le das a alguien que te comenta o te pregunta algo. Te pongo dos casos.
Well, un almost each of those cases, ya is an answer, the only answer you give to someone who tells you or asks you something. I will provide you with two examples.
Caso 1)
Estás hablando con tu compañero de trabajo y le estás explicando algo qué te ha pasado:
Case 1)
You are talking to your coworker, and you are explaining something that happened to you:
-“Ufff, he llegado tarde esta mañana porque la alarma de mi teléfono no sonó, me quedé durmiendo18 y, claro… llegué tarde al trabajo.”
Y tu compañero de trabajo te responde:
-“Ya.”
And your coworker replies to you
-“Right.”
O puede responder
-“Ya, claro.”19
-“Right, right.”
Ese “Ya” y ese “Ya”, claro, con una entonación normal de alguien que está escuchándote, es básicamente escucha activa. No hay una intención diferente, esta entonación es neutral, no significa nada, la persona no está opinando.
Caso 2)
Case 2)
Estás diciendo lo mismo20 pero esta vez a tu jefe:
You are saying the same but this time to your boss
-“He llegado tarde esta mañana porque la alarma de mi teléfono no sonó, me quedé durmiendo y claro… llegué tarde al trabajo.”
-“I was late this morning because my mobile alarm clock didn’t go off. I slept in and, of course … I came late to work.”
Y tu jefe te responde:
-“Ya…”
And your boss replies
-“Right…”
A tu jefe no le está gustando nada tu excusa para llegar tarde, porque quizás tu cara es la cara de alguien que anoche no durmió mucho…y él no se cree la historia sobre tu despertador21.
Your boss does not like your excuse to be late at all because your face looks maybe like the face of someone who didn’t sleep much last night… and he does not believe your story about your alarm clock.
O quizás no le gusta tu excusa porque no es la primera vez que llegas tarde.
Or perhaps he does not like your excuse because it is not the first time you are late.
Ese Ya tiene opinión y no es buena. Y también podría decirte con esta misma intención Ya… claro… Mejor empieza22 a buscar otro trabajo…
This Right is opinionated, and that opinion is not a good one. She also could tell you with the same intention Right, right… You better start looking for another job
Caso 3)
Case 3)
Ya como pregunta a algo que te comentan. Un padre le dice a su hijo:
Ya as a question to something someone commented to you. A father told his son:
-“Cuando termines de ordenar23 tu cuarto, vamos a ir a la playa.”
-“When you finish tidying your bedroom, we will go to the beach.”
A los 5 minutos el hijo responde:
-“Papá, ya he terminado, ¡vamos a la playa entonces!”
5 minutes later the son replies
-“Dad, I have already finished, so let’s go to the beach!”
El padre le responde:
-“¿Yaaaa?”
The father replies
-“Aalreeaadyy?”
Está sorprendido porque sólo han pasado 5 minutos.
He is surprised because it has only been 5 minutes.
A veces esta pregunta puede ir con la siguiente entonación ¡¿yaaaa?! El padre no cree que el cuarto esté realmente ordenado y probablemente vaya a revisarlo antes de salir hacia24 la playa.
Sometimes this question can go with the following intonation aaaalreaddyyy??!! The father does not believe the bedroom is completely tidy, and, probably, he will go to check on it before heading for the beach.
Caso 4)
Case 4)
Persona A dice:
Person A says:
-“Nos vamos a clases de tenis, ¿estás lista?”
-“We are going to tennis lessons, are you ready?”
Persona B responde:
Person B replies:
-“¡¿Ya?! Pensaba que era en dos horas, no ahora mismo.”
-“Now?! I thought that it was in two hours, not right now.”
–En este contexto significa “right now”? Esta persona está sorprendida, no esperaba esto.
In this context, it means “Right now”? This person is surprised. She did not expect this.
Hasta aquí esta primera parte sobre Ya y Todavía, ¿estás listo ya para la segunda parte? ¿o todavía no?
Up to here with this first part about Ya and Todavía, are you ready now for the second part? Or not yet?
Vocabulary and useful phrases
This vocabulary list gives the meaning of each word or phrase in the specific context of this podcast. Some of these words or phrases have other meanings too that are not mentioned here.
- Ocurre = it happens [return]
- Me estoy liando = I am getting confused [return]
- Cambio = change [return]
- Inciso = an aside [return]
- Ni = nor [return]
- Jamás = never, ever [return]
- Ningún = no, not a single, any [return]
- Ninguno o ninguna = no, none, not one, any [return]
- Única = only [return]
- Temporada = season [return]
- Cierto = true [return]
- Me he quedado en casa = I stayed at home [return]
- Frase hecha = set expression, fixed phrase [return]
- De nuevo = again [return]
- Gracioso = funny [return]
- Responder = to answer, to reply [return]
- Telenovela = soap opera [return]
- Me quedé durmiendo = I slept in [return]
- Claro = right [return]
- Mismo = the same [return]
- Despertador = alarm clock [return]
- Mejor empieza = you better start [return]
- Ordenar = to tidy [return]
- Salir hacia = to head for [return]