How to use ya

Question

Hola! I know that the word "ya" normally means "already" in Spanish. However, I see it in a lot of phrases, sayings and different Spanish dialogues where the word "already" doesn't make sense as its translation. I was wondering if anyone could tell me how you know when to use ya and what it can mean other than "already". Gracias!

One example sentence is "Cuando me disfrace hoy, tú ya no sabrás quién soy!" --- I get what the sentence is saying, but I don't get why you would use ya.

Great question tford. I've learned something else thanks to you! - 0095ca4c, Jul 12, 2012

haha thanks so much! - tford14, Jul 17, 2012

Answer 1

**Edit in response to unMica. Thank you.*

Ya is a wonderful little word that I love dearly. You are correct in saying that it frequently can't be easily translated. It does often mean already, but in the example you gave of course it means anymore. Another example that I enjoy using is "Ya vengo" as in "I'm coming" (on my way right now).* This statement is as much a lie in Spanish as it is in English. Picture your teenager busily typing away on facebook at dinner time and hollering "ya vengo". Ya seems to indicate some sense of time, connection to the present... it's hard to put my finger on it. Here is how the Real Academia Española explains ya:

ya. (Del lat. iam).

1. adv. t. Denota el tiempo pasado. Ya hemos hablado de esto más de una vez.
2. adv. t. Inmediatamente, ahora mismo. U. t. en sent. enfático. Aumento de salarios, ya.
3. adv. t. En el tiempo presente, haciendo relación al pasado. Era muy rico, pero ya es pobre.
4. adv. t. En tiempo u ocasión futura. Ya nos veremos. Ya se hará eso.
5. adv. t. Finalmente o últimamente. Ya es preciso tomar una resolución.
6. adv. t. Luego, inmediatamente. U. cuando se responde a quien llama. Ya voy. Ya van.
7. adv. t. U. como conjunción distributiva. Ya en la milicia, ya en las letras. Ya con gozo, ya con dolor.
8. adv. t. U. para conceder o apoyar lo que nos dicen. Ya se ve. Ya entiendo.

pues ya. 1. loc. conjunt. Por supuesto, ciertamente. U. m. en sent. irón.

que ya ya. 1. expr. coloq. U. para enfatizar lo que se acaba de decir.

si ya. 1. loc. conjunt. siempre que. Haré cuanto quieras, si ya no me pides cosas impropias de un hombre de bien.

ya. 1. interj. coloq. U. para denotar que se recuerda algo o que se cae en ello, o que no se hace caso de lo que se nos dice. U. repetida, y de esta manera expresa también idea de encarecimiento en bien o en mal.

ya mero. 1. loc. adv. Méx. En seguida, en un momento más.

ya que. 1. loc. conjunt. Una vez que, aunque, dado que. Ya que tu desgracia no tiene remedio, llévala con paciencia. 2. loc. conjunt. Porque, puesto que. Ya que lo sabes, dímelo.

I hope other members will post uses of ya on this thread. Thank you for asking the question.

A similar word is todavía which can mean still in the affirmative by not yet in the negative (todavía no). - lachelvi, Jul 12, 2012

Gracias lachelvi! Qué bueno respuesta! - 0095ca4c, Jul 12, 2012

muchas gracias!! - tford14, Jul 17, 2012

Answer 2

I just wanted to clarify something that lachelvi said.

"Another example that I enjoy using is "Ya vengo" as in "I'm on my way". This statement is as much a lie in Spanish as it is in English."

"Ya vengo" actually means "I'll be right back" (vuelvo enseguida/ahora vuelvo). We say "ya voy" to mean "I'm on my way."

Maybe this is different where lachelvi lives?

I mean no disrespect, of course, but I have never heard that "ya vengo" means "on my way" anywhere.

I've only heard "Ya voy" for "I'm coming" or "I'll be right there" My experience is with Mexican, Puerto Rican, Colombian, and Guatemalan Spanish speakers. - --Mariana--, Jul 12, 2012

my experience is with californianos (I am one), españoles, mexicanos, chilenos, costarricenses y ecuatorianos y todos están de acuerdo! - unMica, Jul 13, 2012

Excellent comment unMica. You are correct. Venir means to come and ir means to go. I was mostly trying to find an English equivalent. "I'll be right there." is probably best. I'll edit my post. Thank you. - lachelvi, Jul 14, 2012

thank you lachelvi :) - unMica, Jul 15, 2012

thanks for the input! - tford14, Jul 17, 2012

Answer 3

lachelvi commented

A similar word is todavía which can mean still in the affirmative by not yet in the negative (todavía no)

This is an interesting point to note. Because while "ya" can mean yet as in,

Ya eres lista - Are you ready yet

You cannot answer "ya no" to mean not yet as it translates as "no longer". The reply should be "todavia no".

good point there - tford14, Jul 17, 2012

Thanks. - Eddy, Jul 17, 2012

Answer 4

It can be used as we use "do"

You DO know! / YA sabes !

and "now"

Estaba muy enfermo pero ya está bien. / He was very ill but he’s fine now.

¡Levántate ya! / Get up now!

Eso ya es historia. / That’s history by now.

I forgot

Ya Ya = OK

Ya, yaaaa = right (sarcasm) or I don't believe THAT.

Excellente, amigo! - --Mariana--, Jul 12, 2012

Gracias amiga mía x - ian-hill, Jul 12, 2012

thanks so much! I like the explanation with DO - tford14, Jul 17, 2012

Answer 5

.... what it can mean other than "already"

¡Ya basta! (Enough!)

(Usually said by an exasperated mother of three kids who are running around the department store or Americans who are fed up with lying politicians).

= enough already! Mariana :) - ian-hill, Jul 12, 2012

hahaha - tford14, Jul 17, 2012

Answer 6

A Spanish friend told me that "ya" means "now." But not every time.

Of course, I thought "now" was "ahora," and it is.

However, this trick will help you to unlock the meaning of "ya" in many situations. This little word is used all of the time.

For example, "Ya voy," means "Now I go."

"Ya basta," means "Now that's enough."

Sometimes people just say, "¡Ya!" in an exasperated way. In usage this means "enough!" I think it's shorthand for "¡Ya basta!

Then there is "Ya con la..." which means "Already with the..." or "I have had enough of..."

¡Ya con la ya!

I've always seen it as "Basta ya" = Enough already! Does this sound awkward? - ashepard, Jul 13, 2012

Both "basta ya" and "ya basta" sound equally acceptable to me and grammatically speaking are. - lachelvi, Jul 14, 2012

cool, thanks for the phrases - tford14, Jul 17, 2012