「もう」- Already

Explanation

In Japanese, もう is a commonly used adverb that indicates something has already happened, similar to the English word "already." When もう is used in a sentence, it is typically paired with the verb's た形 (past tense form) to express that an action has been completed.

Grammar Pattern

Grammar Point	Connection	Explanation
もう	+ Verb た形	Indicates that an action or state has already occurred or been completed.

Basic Usage

もう is usually placed at the beginning or middle of a sentence, followed by the verb's た形, to express that an action or state has already happened.

Examples

• 子こどもどもたちはもう公園こうえんに行いったから、うちにはいません。
• Kodomo-tachi wa mou kouen ni itta kara, uchi ni wa imasen.
• The children have already gone to the park, so they're not at home.
  

• 彼かれはもう宿題しゅくだいを終おえた。
• Kare wa mou shukudai o oeta.
• He has already finished his homework.
  

Deep Dive

The use of もう is not limited to expressing the completion of an action; it can also emphasize a change in emotion or state. For example, when saying もう疲つかれた, it can indicate both the end of an action and the speaker's feeling of exhaustion. Additionally, もう is often used in negative sentences to express that something is no longer the case. For example: もう行いかない (I'm not going anymore).

Comparisons and Differences

「もう」vs.「まだ」

もう indicates that something has already happened, while 「まだ」 indicates that something has not yet happened. For example:

• もう食たべた？
• Mou tabeta?
• Have you already eaten?
  

• まだ食たべてない。
• Mada tabetenai.
• I haven't eaten yet.
  

「もう」vs.「すでに」

すでに also means "already," but it is more formal than もう and is often used in written language. For example:

• もう帰かえった。
• Mou kaetta.
• I've already gone home.
  

• すでに帰かえった。
• Sudeni kaetta.
• I've already gone home. (formal)
  

Real-Life Scenarios

Here are some real-life conversational examples to help understand the usage of もう.

Dialogue 1

• A: もう映画えいがを見みた？
• A: Mou eiga o mita?
• A: Have you already watched the movie?
  

• B: はい、もう見ました。
• B: Hai, mou mimashita.
• B: Yes, I've already watched it.
  

Dialogue 2

• A: もう宿題しゅくだいを終おえましたか？
• A: Mou shukudai o oemashita ka?
• A: Have you already finished your homework?
  

• B: いいえ、まだです。
• B: Iie, mada desu.
• B: No, not yet.
  

Summary

もう is a highly practical and frequently used word in Japanese, indicating that something has already happened or been completed. By pairing it with the verb's た形, you can clearly and simply express the completion of an action. Understanding and mastering the use of もう will make your Japanese expressions more natural and fluent.