もう - Grammar Discussion

Grammar Points
#1

already・anymore

Structure

  • もう + past tense phrase

View on Bunpro

1 Like
#2

Where should もう be placed in a sentences? Most of the example sentences are formed with もう coming directly after the topic marker は to modify a whole verb phrase except for this one:

お母さんは晩ごはんをもう作りました。

Why is this sentence better than 「お母さんはもう晩ごはんを作りました。」?

Thank you!

#3

@amelcr2 Thank you for your question! Similarly to the English “already,” もう can actually be placed in a number of locations (three, sometimes four) in this sentence:

①もう お母さんは晩ごはんを作りました。
Already Mom made dinner.
②お母さんは もう 晩ごはんを作りました。
Mom already made dinner.
③お母さんは晩ごはんを もう 作りました。
Mom made dinner already.

The meaning of each sentence is exactly the same, except the emphasis of “already” changes depending on where もう appears in the sentence (① having the highest level of emphasis and ③ having the lowest).

The sentence can even be written ④お母さんは晩ごはんを作りました, もう。 when the “already” part is kind of an afterthought.

Hope this helps! Cheers.

4 Likes
#4

This really helped! Thank you!

1 Like
#5

Does もう + past tense map more closely to present perfect or simple past in English?

For example, if I texted someone the first example, **" もう学校に行ましたか。", which of the below would be the closer translation?

  • "Have you gone to school already?", e.g. in the context of “are you already at school and can’t open the house door for me?”
  • "Did you go to the school already?", e.g. in the context of “did you already pick up the bag you left there?”

Also, would love to see another negative example. There’s currently only one.

Thanks!

1 Like
#6

Hey :grinning:

How I understand it:
1)are you now at school, and can’t open house doors for me
2)did you pick the bag you left there? (are you still on your way home/ are you on your way back home/ whatever else, generally not being at school)

もう can be used in both contexts!

BUT

For it to fit context 1, 行く has to be replaced with 着く(to arrive).

Cheers, :+1:

1 Like
#7

Good to know! Thanks!

1 Like
#8

No problemo, and also,

HEY AND WELCOME ON THE COMMUNITY FORUMS :partying_face:

1 Like
#9

Hello everyone,
I have trouble understanding the structure of the sentence :

犬の散歩もうしました。

At first I tried to input 犬の散歩はもうしました。but it was incorrect.

Why is there no particle before もう ? I can see no conjunction between 犬の散歩 and the rest of the sentence. I couldn’t find any other example of もう not following a particle, except at the beginning of a clause. Sorry if it’s a dumb question but I’m a beginner and it doesn’t make sense to me :slight_smile: