すでに (sude ni)
すでに — already
Pattern
-
すでに＋動詞た形／ている形already done / already in that state (すでに帰っていた) -
すでに＋名詞・状態already (満員だった、売り切れた)
How to use it
As in 私が着いたとき、彼はすでに帰っていた, it says that before a reference time (when I arrived) the state had already come about. The verb is often a form of completion or resulting state, such as 帰っていた or 売り切れた.
Compared with もう
もう is spoken and can be used in questions (もう食べましたか). すでに belongs to writing and formal situations and is rarely used in questions. もう has other meanings such as “soon” and “more,” while すでに only means “already been so for some time.”
Examples
-
私（わたし）が着（つ）いたとき、彼（かれ）はすでに帰（かえ）っていた。
Watashi ga tsuita toki, kare wa sude ni kaette ita.
When I arrived, he had already gone home.
Before the reference time.
-
会場（かいじょう）に着（つ）いたときには、席（せき）はすでに満員（まんいん）だった。
Kaijō ni tsuita toki ni wa, seki wa sude ni man'in datta.
By the time I arrived at the venue, the seats were already full.
A state that had already come about.
-
その商品（しょうひん）は、すでに売（う）り切（き）れてしまった。
Sono shōhin wa, sude ni urikirete shimatta.
That product has already sold out.
Completed, with 〜てしまった.
Common mistakes
- Do not use it for what has not happened yet: × すでに明日行く. Use it with completion or a state.
- In conversation もう is more natural; すでに is a bit stiff.
More grammar points
- ぶりに ～ぶりに — for the first time in ～ (a period)
- 中（ちゅう） ～中 (ちゅう／じゅう) — during ～, within ～
- ふと ふと — suddenly, on an impulse
- ごとに ～ごとに — every ～, at each ～
- 一度（いちど）に 一度に — all at once
- から〜にかけて ～から～にかけて — from ～ through ～
- にかけて ～から～にかけて — spanning from ～ to ～
- につれて ～につれて — as ～ progresses, ～ changes
- 際（さい）に ～際に — at the time of ～ / when ～
- 最中（さいちゅう）に ～最中に — right in the middle of ～
- しばらく しばらく — for a while
- たとたん ～たとたん — “the moment ～”
- たびに ～たびに — “every time ～”
- てはじめて ～てはじめて — “only after ～ing”
- てからでないと ～てからでないと — “not unless ～ first”
- 途中（とちゅう）で/途中（とちゅう）に 途中で／途中に — “on the way / partway through”
- ついに ついに — “finally / in the end”
- うちに ～うちに — “while ～ / before it changes”
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