How to use 从来都
从来 + 都 (是) + Predicate
从来 in an affirmative statement commonly combines with 都 to describe a pattern that has held throughout the relevant period. It can introduce a repeated practice or an enduring way of being. The subject normally precedes the adverb phrase, while the predicate explains what has consistently been true.
是 may follow 从来都 when the sentence presents or emphasizes a characteristic situation. The period is established by the conversation rather than necessarily extending over all conceivable time. Compare the affirmative pattern with 从来不 for a habitual negative and 从来没 for absent experience. The negative marker changes the claim, so identify whether the speaker is asserting a consistent behavior or denying it across the relevant occasions.
Examples with pinyin and English
他从来都这样。
He's always like this.
她从来都这么晚睡。
She's always gone to bed so late.
他说话从来都很大声。
He's always spoken very loudly.
我们学校的学生从来都只能穿校服。
Students in our school can only wear school uniforms.
What to remember
- Use 从来都 for affirmative consistency.
- Let context define the relevant period.
- Distinguish affirmative patterns from 从来不 and 从来没.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
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