While 也 is a simple grammar word, its frequent use reflects a subtle cultural tendency towards finding common ground and building rapport. Stating a shared experience or opinion using 也 is a very common and natural way to create a connection in conversation. For example, if someone says, “我喜欢喝茶” (Wǒ xǐhuān hē chá - I like to drink tea), responding with “我也喜欢” (Wǒ yě xǐhuān - I also like it) is much more than a simple statement of fact. It's a way of saying, “We have something in common,” which helps foster a sense of harmony and mutual understanding. In contrast to English, which has flexible options like “Me too,” “So do I,” or placing “too” at the end of a sentence, Chinese has a more rigid `Subject + 也 + Verb` structure. This reflects a certain grammatical regularity in the language, where the focus is placed squarely on the shared action or state, which 也 directly modifies.
The placement of 也 is non-negotiable: it always goes between the subject and the predicate (the verb or adjective).