Já vs. Ainda: Talk About “Already,” “Still,” and “Yet” in Portuguese — Practice

Use já for something that has happened or is happening now

Já often means “already,” while ainda often means “still.” With a negative, ainda não commonly means “not yet,” and já não can mean “no longer.” The surrounding tense and context determine the best English translation.

You will also hear já with the sense of “now” or “in a moment,” especially in short replies. For example, “Já vou” means “I’m coming” or “I’ll be right there,” depending on the situation.

Use ainda for something that continues or has not happened

Ainda can mean “still” when a situation continues: “Ela ainda mora aqui” means “She still lives here.” With não, it often means “not yet”: “Eu ainda não sei” means “I don’t know yet.”

The placement is straightforward in these examples: ainda commonly appears before the verb, and ainda não appears before it when you mean that something has not happened up to now.

Use the timeline to choose

Ask yourself whether you are checking if something has happened, saying it has happened, or describing a situation that continues. Já is common in the first two patterns; ainda is common for the continuing or not-yet patterns.

English does not map one-to-one here. A question with já may translate with “yet,” while a reply with já may translate with “already.” Learn the full sentence and situation together rather than memorizing one English equivalent per word.

• Checking: Você já chegou? — Have you arrived yet?
• Completed: Já cheguei. — I’ve already arrived.
• Continuing: Ainda estou no ônibus. — I’m still on the bus.
• Not completed: Ainda não cheguei. — I haven’t arrived yet.

Remember: Practice the four patterns as a short back-and-forth. Hearing the question and response together makes the contrast easier to recall in conversation.

Build a four-way contrast with one action

Imagine you are waiting for someone to finish eating. “Já comi” says the eating has happened. “Ainda estou comendo” says it is continuing. “Ainda não comi” says it has not happened up to now. “Já não como carne” describes something that is no longer part of the speaker’s habits.

The position of não matters. Do not translate “not yet” as a loose combination of English word order. Learn ainda não as a useful unit, then add a complete verb phrase. Já also appears in questions such as “Você já foi ao Brasil?”, where English often uses ever rather than already.

Listen for expectation rather than a dictionary label

Já can show that something happened earlier than expected; ainda can show that a situation has continued longer than expected. The speaker’s tone adds that expectation. “Você ainda está aqui?” can be a neutral check or sound surprised, depending on the relationship and voice.

Practice with one real task you have completed, one you are doing, and one you have not started. Say “Já…”, “Ainda estou…”, and “Ainda não…” with the appropriate verbs. This keeps the time relationship clear and prevents you from treating these words as interchangeable decorations.

Check your understanding

Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.

Choose the language for the situation

Now use the explanation to decide what fits the situation. Check the reason for the answer, not just the option you chose.

Recall the Portuguese, then say it

Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.

1. Have you seen this movie yet?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Você já viu esse filme?

2. I’ve already finished the work.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Já terminei o trabalho.

3. Wait a minute; I’m coming.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Espera um minuto; já vou.

4. The store is still open.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A loja ainda está aberta.

5. We haven’t decided yet.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A gente ainda não decidiu.

6. Do you still want coffee?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Você ainda quer café?

Make the phrase useful to you

Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.

Practice the four patterns as a short back-and-forth. Hearing the question and response together makes the contrast easier to recall in conversation.

Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.

Sources and your next lesson

This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our Já vs. Ainda: Talk About “Already,” “Still,” and “Yet” in Portuguese lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.

To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.