Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.
Quick answer
Já often marks a change as complete; ainda keeps the earlier situation open.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
What each word does
já
already, now, or right away
Use já for something completed earlier than expected or true by now.
ainda
still or yet
Use ainda for something continuing or not completed up to now.
How to choose
- já: Choose já if the sentence points to something completed earlier than expected or true by now.
- ainda: Choose ainda if the sentence points to something continuing or not completed up to now.
Examples
Eu já terminei.
I have already finished.
Eu ainda estou estudando.
I am still studying.
Common trap
In questions, já asks whether it has happened already, while ainda asks whether it remains true.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with já, then once with ainda. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.