ужо / яшчэ

Already and Still

Level 2Sounds Like užo í âščé

Ужо = already, яшчэ = still. Ужо не = no longer, яшчэ не = not yet.

How It Works

Four combinations:

  • ужо: Ён ужо тут. (He is already here.)
  • яшчэ: Яна яшчэ спіць. (She is still sleeping.)
  • яшчэ не: Я яшчэ не ведаю. (I do not know yet.)
  • ужо не: Ён ужо не працуе тут. (He no longer works here.)

Не stays right before the verb, as in negating verbs.

With the past. Ужо often goes with a completed action: Мы ўжо паелі (We have already eaten). See perfective aspect.

More uses of яшчэ. It also means more, another or again: яшчэ раз (once more), яшчэ адзін (one more), Яшчэ кавы? (More coffee?). Before a comparative, it means even: яшчэ лепш (even better).

Spelling. Ужо starts with у, so after a vowel it is written ўжо: Яна ўжо прыйшла. See у and ў.

Examples (6)

  1. Ён ужо тут.

    He is already here.

    Word by Word: He already here.

  2. Яна яшчэ спіць.

    She is still sleeping.

    Word by Word: She still sleeps.

  3. Я яшчэ не ведаю.

    I do not know yet.

    Word by Word: I still not know.

  4. Ён ужо не працуе ў банку.

    He no longer works at the bank.

    Word by Word: He already not works in bank.

  5. Мы ўжо паелі.

    We have already eaten.

    Word by Word: We already ate.

    After мы, which ends in a vowel, ужо is written ўжо.

  6. Скажы, калі ласка, яшчэ раз.

    Please say it once more.

    Word by Word: Say, please, still time.

Common Mistakes

  • Using ужо не when you mean not yet.

    Фільм ужо не пачаўся.
    Фільм яшчэ не пачаўся.

    To say the film has not started yet, use яшчэ не. Ужо не means no longer, which does not fit here.

  • Writing у instead of ў after a vowel.

    Яна ужо дома.
    Яна ўжо дома.

    Яна ends in a vowel, so the у of ужо becomes ў.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

ужо / яшчэLevel 2Already and Still

Learn This First

Already and still use negation.

Words in This Pattern

ужояшчэне