STILL / YET / ALREADY / ANYMORE

La elección de estos adverbios producen una gran vacilación entre los hispanohablantes a la hora de emplearlos.

	Todavía/aún	Ya
Afirmativo	Still	Alredy
Negativo	Yet Still (con énfasis)	Any more / no longer
Interrogativo	Yet Still	Yet (no lo sé) Alredy (presumo que sí) Still (expresa extrañeza)

Para verbos que no expresan una continuidad[1] en la acción: 

          Has Chus achieved the English B2 level yet?

                    ~Yes, she already has achieved the English B2 level.

                    ~No, she hasn’t achieved the English B2 level yet.

 

          Hasn't Chus achieved the English B2 level yet?

 

Para verbos que expresan continuidad[2] en la acción o estado:

 

          Is Chus still living in Alberite?

                    ~Yes, she is still living in Alberite?

                    ~No, she isn’t living in Alberite anymore because she is                              living inVillamediana now.

 

          Is Chus still working at Armendariz’s?

                    ~Yes, she is still working at Armendariz’s

                    ~No, she isn’t working at Armendariz’s anymore because                          she is working at SOS Rioja now.

 

          Is Chus working now?

                    ~Yes, Chus is working now.

                    ~No, Chus isn’t working now.

 

          Does Chus still collect stamps?

                    ~Yes, Chus still collects stamps.

                    ~No, Chus doesn’t collect stamps anymore.

 

          Doesn’t Chus collect stamps anymore?

 

          Does Chus still take vitamin C tablets every day?

                    ~Yes, Chus still take vitamin C tablets every day

                    ~No, Chus doesn’t any longer take vitamin C tablets                                  every day

                    ~No, Chus no longer takes vitamin C tablets every day.

    

          Is still the box on the table?

                    ~Yes, the box is still on the table.

                    ~No, the box isn't on the table anymore.

 

          Isn't the box on the table anymore?

 

        Do you still have any coins in your wallet?

          ~Yes, I still have some coins in my wallet

          ~No, I no longer have some coins in my wallet                       

 

Yet: no continuidad en la acción del verbo → (-) (?-) (?+)

Still: continuidad en la acción del verbo o estado → (+) (?+)

Already: no continuidad en la acción del verbo → (+)

Any more / no longer: continuidad en la acción del verbo → (-) (?-)

 

Tip: Si podemos sustituir en español estos adverbios y los verbos a los que modifican por las perífrasis verbales seguir / continuar + verbo en gerundio, utilizaremos still o anymore / no longer.

 

No matter how many times I tell Chus to be less bossy, she is still bossy (… Chus continúa siendo mandona)

 

Is still the box on the table? (¿Sigue estando la caja sobre la mesa?)

 

Does still Antonio Brea write books? (¿Antonio sigue escribiendo libros?)

 

Did Antonio Brea write his latest book yet? (¿Siguió Antonio escribiendo su último libro?) 

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[1] Hay verbos que pueden expresar tanto continuidad como no continuidad en su acción. En estos casos habrá que estar al contexto. Did Antonio Brea write his latest book yet? /  Does still Antonio Brea write books?

[2] Los verbos en gerundio denotan continuidad en la acción. They were still laughing about the experience years later.