"Already" expresses something happened sooner than expected; "yet" questions or denies whether something happened.
Before the expected time, or that something has happened. Always in affirmative or exclamatory sentences.
Have you already eaten? We were going to cook dinner.
¿Ya comiste? Ibamos a hacer la cena.
She has already finished the book. She started it yesterday.
Ella ya termino el libro. Lo empezo ayer.
I have already sent the email — no need to remind me.
Ya mande el correo. No necesitas recordarmelo.
Not up to now / up until now. In negative or question sentences with present perfect.
Have you eaten yet? Dinner is almost ready.
¿Ya comiste? La cena casi esta lista.
She has not finished the book yet. She is only halfway through.
Ella todavia no termino el libro. Solo va a la mitad.
Is the report ready yet? The client is waiting.
¿Ya esta listo el informe? El cliente esta esperando.
Common mistake
The most common error: using "already" in negative sentences ("I have not already done it") — wrong. In negatives, the word is "yet": "I have not done it yet." The reverse: using "yet" in affirmatives ("I have yet finished") sounds archaic or wrong. Position also matters: "already" goes between auxiliary and participle ("have already done"); "yet" almost always goes at the end.
Trick to remember it
Three-position rule: (1) Affirmative = "already" (between auxiliary and participle or at end): "I have already eaten." (2) Negative = "yet" (at end): "I have not eaten yet." (3) Question = "yet" (at end): "Have you eaten yet?" — or "already" if the question expresses surprise: "Have you eaten already?!" (so soon?)
Quick rule
Already = already (affirmative, sooner than expected). Yet = not yet / yet? (negative or question).
Did you know?
In some American English varieties (especially the South), "yet" can appear in affirmatives meaning "still". "I am not done yet" is standard everywhere, but "I am yet to finish" (I have not finished yet) is more formal and literary. "Yet" as an adversative conjunction is completely different: "She was tired, yet she kept going" (nevertheless).
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
Have you seen the new office _____ ? They renovated it last week.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
She has not replied to my message _____ . I am starting to worry.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Already = already (affirmative, sooner than expected). Yet = not yet / yet? (negative or question).
The most common error: using "already" in negative sentences ("I have not already done it") — wrong. In negatives, the word is "yet": "I have not done it yet." The reverse: using "yet" in affirmatives ("I have yet finished") sounds archaic or wrong. Position also matters: "already" goes between auxiliary and participle ("have already done"); "yet" almost always goes at the end.
Three-position rule: (1) Affirmative = "already" (between auxiliary and participle or at end): "I have already eaten." (2) Negative = "yet" (at end): "I have not eaten yet." (3) Question = "yet" (at end): "Have you eaten yet?" — or "already" if the question expresses surprise: "Have you eaten already?!" (so soon?)
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy