Language/Russian/Grammar/Tricky-Adverbs

Learn the difference between ‘Уже’ and ‘ещё’ in Russian

Everyone who learns the Russian language asked his or herself a question, ‘what’s the difference between these two?’.

The problem is, at least one out of many ones, that these two words can have more than one meaning. So let’s have a look at these words more closely.

Уже

‘Уже’ is an adverb may be translated as ‘already’ or ‘any longer’. We use it if we have already done something we’re talking about. 

For example:

• Я уже выучил русский язык (I have already learnt Russian)
• Я уже обедаю (I have already started having lunch (and I am still doing it))

Easy? Very easy! Now let’s have a look at the word ‘ещё’ which also has several meaning (up to 7 or even more)

Ещё

‘Ещё’  is also an adverb.  

It can be translated as ‘still’ or ’yet’. Basically we you use in order to express:

We want to do something again

• Я хочу это сделать ещё! (I want to do it again!)

We want to get some more of something

• Я хочу ещё пирога (I want some more pie)

We still do something

• Я ещё изучаю русский язык (I still learn Russian)
• Я ещё дома (I am still at home)

We do not know someone or something yet

• Я Вас ещё не знаю! (I don’t know you yet!)

Very easy! Now I would like to share with you an exercise to practice your new skill. I am going to do first three examples and rests are for you, okay?

Exercises

1.    Владимир уже в университете? – Нет, он (1) дома.

2.    У тебя есть машина? – Да, (2) есть.

3.    Ты студент? – Нет, я(3) работаю.

4.    Ты сейчас завтракаешь? – Да,(4) завтракаю.

5.    Ты читаешь?.  –  Да,(5) читаю.

6.    Ты (6) ужинаешь? – Нет, (7) обедаю.

7.    Вы его помните? – Нет, (8) не помню.

8.    Кто это? Я его (9)  не знаю.

9.    Ты (10) школьник? – Нет, я (11) студент.

10.  Ты (12) изучаешь русский? – Да, (13) изучаю.

I have to warn you that almost each sentence can include either ‘уже’ or ‘ещё’, it depends on the context and the idea you want to express.

So, please keep that in mind doing the exercises and please share your answers in the comments that would be highly appreciated.

Thank you for your attention and will to learn Russian.

I hope to meet you again. That’s all for today.