# mai = ever/already?



## jboone

Lately I've heard "mai" used in sentences like, "Ai mai fost la criş?" "Ştiu unde mergem pentru că am mai fost aici."

It seems clear from context that mai = ever or already (Have you ever been to the creek? I know the route because I've already been here/I've been here before). 

This is the main function of the word mai in Italian, but I didn't think it could be used this way in Romanian. I don't see this "already/ever" usage in the dictionaries; this seems different from the sense of "din nou" in IV.2 here. 

Am I understanding these sentences correctly, and if so, how is this "mai" different from "odată" or "vreodată"? Mulţumesc mult pentru ajutor.


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## Reef Archer

The "ever" equivalence is not exactly right.
Have you *ever* been to the Criș creek? = Ai fost *vreodată* la Criș?

Look a little lower on the same page, the DER source:
4. *Altădată/înainte*: Have you been to the Criș creek *some other time*/*before*? If not, don't worry, I know the way...
5. *Deja*: *already*

Basically, this _mai_ designates repetition, regardless of the time of the action.
Am *mai* fost acolo - I've been there *before*.
*Mai* vreau să merg acolo - I want to go there *again*.
*Mai* vreau (ciocolată) - I want *more* (chocolate).


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## farscape

Here's another usage for *mai* with a twist (intensifier/downer) 

*Mai* mereu miroase a cozonac -> Smells of sweet bread *quite* often


Later,


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## Reef Archer

I just remembered: „Ai *mai* fost la Criș?” can also have a rather different meaning, "Have you been to the Criș creek *lately*?"
As if you usually go there _often_, but... have you been there _lately_?


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## farscape

Reef Archer said:
			
		

> "Ai *mai* fost la Criș?” can also have a rather different meaning, "Have you been to the Criș creek *lately*?"



I think the meaning here is given by the context which is implied but not directly expressed in the question:

I mai fost la Criș (*vreodată*)? -> Have you *ever* been to Criș?
I mai fost la Criș (*de curând*)? -> Have you been to Criș *lately*?

In both cases when the complete question is used "mai" is somewhat redundant - can be removed with no loss of meaning - however in the short form is a must to reference the implied context.

f.


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