The use of 'ya'.

Question

Its placement in a sentence and it doesn't seem to have a definite meaning.

Ya, it could be yes. - pmikan-pam, Dec 20, 2013

Or it could mean already - pmikan-pam, Dec 20, 2013

It could be now - 00551866, Dec 20, 2013

Answer 1

I have a very good dictionaary:

already ¿Ya lo has terminado? - Have you finished it already?

Ya lo habíamos dicho. - We’d already said so.

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.

future Ya veremos. - We’ll see.

Ya te escribirán. - They’ll write to you (eventually).

OK — Quiero que nos acompañes. — Ya, pero más tarde.

I want you to come with us.- OK, but later.

Ya, ya, no insistas. OK, OK, don’t go on.

(uso enfático) Ya veo. - Oh, I see.

Sí, ya entiendo. Yes, I understand.

Ya verás, ya. - Just you wait and see.

¡Ya comes, ya! - You do eat a lot.

Ya se ha dormido. - He’s gone to sleep.

Ya lo sé. - I know. (aleady)

Very good answer. I have also seen moms hush a noisy or active child with "ya!" meaning "enough!" - deedeegill72, Dec 20, 2013

Thanks ian-hill for making it clearer, i guess i have to study more :) - dannicfc, Dec 20, 2013

Answer 2

Could you give us na example of what you want to say?

it can mean various things, and , depending on meaning, it's place in the sentence may vary, just like: Well now, do you understand me now?