# Using "always" as a complaint with "老是"

<SentenceQuiz>

- 你 怎么 _老是_ 加班 ？
  <!-- - Nǐ zěnme _lǎoshì_ jiābān? -->
  - Why are you always working late?
- 那个 孩子 _老_ 说 脏话 。
  <!-- - Nàge háizi _lǎo_ shuō zānghuà. -->
  - That kid always says bad words.
- 你 怎么 _老是_ 不 高兴 ？
  <!-- - Nǐ zěnme _lǎoshì_ bù gāoxìng? -->
  - How are you always unhappy?
- 你 儿子 上课 的 时候 _老是_ 说话 。
  <!-- - Nǐ érzi shàngkè de shíhou _lǎoshì_ shuōhuà. -->
  - Your son talks all the time in class.
- 这个 老师 _老是_ 这么 严肃 。
  <!-- - Zhège lǎoshī _lǎoshì_ zhème yánsù. -->
  - This teacher is always so serious.
- 别 _老是_ 抱怨 。
  <!-- - Bié _lǎoshì_ bàoyuàn. -->
  - Stop complaining all the time.
- 这个 机器 _老是_ 出 问题 。
  <!-- - Zhège jīqì _lǎoshì_ chū wèntí. -->
  - There is always something wrong with this machine.
- 他 经常 迟到 ，还 _老是_ 找 借口 。
  <!-- - Tā jīngcháng chídào, hái _lǎoshì_ zhǎo jièkǒu. -->
  - He's always late. And he always makes excuses.
- 奶奶 _老是_ 忘 带 钥匙 。
  <!-- - Nǎinai _lǎoshì_ wàng dài yàoshi. -->
  - Grandma forgets to take her keys all the time.
- 你 _老是_ 这么 凶 干吗 ？
  <!-- - Nǐ _lǎoshì_ zhème xiōng gànmá? -->
  - Why are you always so mean?
- 他 真 讨厌 ，_老是_ 跟 朋友 借钱 。
  <!-- - Tā zhēn tǎoyàn, _lǎoshì_ gēn péngyou jièqián. -->
  - He's such a nuisance. He's always borrowing money from his friends.

</SentenceQuiz>

<TOC>

- Level: [B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points) / [HSK3](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/HSK3_grammar_points)
- Similar to
  - [Expressing "always" with "总是"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22always%22_with_%22zongshi%22) (A2)
  - [Expressing "always" with "从来"](../B1/从来.md) (B1)
  - [Comparing "不断" and "不停"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Comparing_%22buduan%22_and_%22buting%22) (C1)
- Used for: [Expressing frequency](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_frequency), [Expressing attitude](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_attitude)
- Keywords: [是](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%98%AF), [老是](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E8%80%81%E6%98%AF), [老](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E8%80%81)

</TOC>

We have a few ways to say "[always](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Always)" in Chinese, and one of them is to use the word 老是 (lǎoshì). 老是 is usually used in the context of a complaint, like how your sister is "always" hogging the bathroom.

## Structure

老是 is an adverb, usually translated into English as "always." It expresses that an action or a condition constantly repeats or continues and can be interchanged with [the word 总是](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22Always%22_with_%22zongshi%22). However, 老是 also has an unsatisfied or frustrated tone.

老 (是) + Predicate

You can also use 老 instead of 老是. The [predicate](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Predicate) part of the pattern can be a [verb](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Verb) or an adjective.

When 老是 is used together with an [adjective](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Adjective), 老是 is usually followed by an [adverb](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Adverb) such as 不, 很, 非常, 这么, 那 etc.

## Examples

- 你 怎么 _老是_ 加班 ？
  <!-- - Nǐ zěnme _lǎoshì_ jiābān? -->
  - Why are you always working late?
- 那个 孩子 _老_ 说 脏话 。
  <!-- - Nàge háizi _lǎo_ shuō zānghuà. -->
  - That kid always says bad words.
- 你 怎么 _老是_ 不 高兴 ？
  <!-- - Nǐ zěnme _lǎoshì_ bù gāoxìng? -->
  - How are you always unhappy?
- 你 儿子 上课 的 时候 _老是_ 说话 。
  <!-- - Nǐ érzi shàngkè de shíhou _lǎoshì_ shuōhuà. -->
  - Your son talks all the time in class.
- 这个 老师 _老是_ 这么 严肃 。
  <!-- - Zhège lǎoshī _lǎoshì_ zhème yánsù. -->
  - This teacher is always so serious.
- 别 _老是_ 抱怨 。
  <!-- - Bié _lǎoshì_ bàoyuàn. -->
  - Stop complaining all the time.
- 这个 机器 _老是_ 出 问题 。
  <!-- - Zhège jīqì _lǎoshì_ chū wèntí. -->
  - There is always something wrong with this machine.
- 他 经常 迟到 ，还 _老是_ 找 借口 。
  <!-- - Tā jīngcháng chídào, hái _lǎoshì_ zhǎo jièkǒu. -->
  - He's always late. And he always makes excuses.
- 奶奶 _老是_ 忘 带 钥匙 。
  <!-- - Nǎinai _lǎoshì_ wàng dài yàoshi. -->
  - Grandma forgets to take her keys all the time.
- 你 _老是_ 这么 凶 干吗 ？
  <!-- - Nǐ _lǎoshì_ zhème xiōng gànmá? -->
  - Why are you always so mean?
- 他 真 讨厌 ，_老是_ 跟 朋友 借钱 。
  <!-- - Tā zhēn tǎoyàn, _lǎoshì_ gēn péngyou jièqián. -->
  - He's such a nuisance. He's always borrowing money from his friends.

## See also

- ["Always" with "从来"](../B1/从来.md)
- ["Never" with "从来"](../A2/从来.md)

## Sources and further reading

### Websites

- [Qingwen: Always in Chinese: 总是 (zǒngshì) and 老是](http://chinesepod.com/lessons/always-in-chinese-%E6%80%BB%E6%98%AF-z%C7%92ngshi-and-%E8%80%81%E6%98%AF-l%C7%8Eoshi)

### Dictionaries

- [现代汉语词典（第5版）](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8%EF%BC%88%E7%AC%AC5%E7%89%88%EF%BC%89) (pp. 145) [卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy](http://amzn.to/2z4g8q6,)