ja, encara

Already and Still

Level 2

Ja means already, and encara means still or yet.

How It Works

Ja means already: Joan es ja aicí (Joan is already here). Encara means still: Maria dormís encara (Maria is still asleep). With pas, encara means yet: Lo cafè es pas encara prèst (The coffee is not ready yet).

WordMeaningExample
jaalreadyJa ai fam.
encarastillDormís encara.
pas encaranot yetEs pas encara aicí.

Ja can stand before the verb or after es: both Ja es aicí and Es ja aicí are written. In a negative sentence, pas comes before encara. The adjective prèst (ready) takes -a in the feminine.

Examples (4)

  1. Joan es ja aicí.

    Joan is already here.

    Ja marks something that has happened by now.

  2. Maria dormís encara.

    Maria is still asleep.

    Encara shows that it continues.

  3. Lo cafè es pas encara prèst.

    The coffee is not ready yet.

    Pas encara means not yet.

  4. Ja ai fam.

    I am already hungry.

    Ja can come first in the sentence.

How It Connects

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

ja, encaraLevel 2Already and Still

Learn This First

Ja and encara tell when, and encara works with pas, so negation with pas and the time words come first.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

jaencarapas encara