Ya = Already?

Question

Sé que 'ya' significa 'already' en los tiempos pasados, pero significa lo mismo en el presente?

Ejemplo:

Do you already know Spanish?

Es.. "¿Ya sabes español?"

I see it used as "I see " as in "ya veo". It doesn't definitely mean "already" as well. In reference to children acting up, one could say "¡Ya basta!" (meaning "enough already") - 00f77230, Jul 10, 2011

Answer 1

Ya also means "now" (ahora) in many contexts.

2) now (ahora)

bueno, yo ya me voy -> right, I'm off now

¡ya voy! -> I'm coming! 

Answer 2

As qfreed told you, ya also means now -and of course already.-

So I would say:

¿Ya aprendes español? means something like : "Have you started to learn Spanish?"

Answer 3

From my rather limited reading, I get the impression that "ya" is roughly equivalent to the (now obsolete) English term "anon". It may mean "now", "already", "at once, immediately", "sufficient, enough", "eventually, soon, pretty soon", etc. Used with an exclamatory (exclamation point), these become "instantly!", "done!", "at once!", "stop!", "give me/it a second!", etc.

The general impression is one of a limit or deadline being approached or imposed.

• Ya=now because this is a deadline,
• ya=already because the deadline/limit has passed,
• ya=at once when the deadline is imminent,
• ya=enough indicating the limit has been attained (for whatever is being done, eaten, etc.),
• ya=pretty soon where the deadline/limit is not quite reached, and so on

.

Answer 4

Ya = already

Do you already know Spanish? = ¿Ya sabes español?

:) - FELIZ77, Jul 11, 2011

Answer 5

I see it used as "I see " as in "ya veo". It definitely means "already" as well. In reference to children acting up, one could say "¡Ya basta!" (meaning "enough already")

Answer 6

I've also heard it as an expression of exasperation. Like when kids are acting up, "¡Ya!"