HSK grammarHSK 3

又 vs 再又 vs 再: Two Ways to Say "Again"

Chinese has two words for "again". 又 (yòu) is for something that has already happened again. 再 (zài) is for something that hasn't happened yet: a plan, a request or a suggestion.

又: it happened again

Subject + 又 + verb + 了.

Use 又 when the repeat has already happened. The sentence usually ends with 了. It often sounds a little surprised or annoyed, like "not again!" in English. The most common mistake is to use 再 here: 他昨天再来了 is wrong, because yesterday is in the past.

  1. 他昨天来了,今天又来了。Tā zuótiān lái le, jīntiān yòu lái le.He came yesterday, and he came again today.
  2. 我的手机又坏了。Wǒ de shǒujī yòu huài le.My phone's broken again.
  3. 你怎么又迟到了?Nǐ zěnme yòu chídào le?Why are you late again?

再: it will happen again

Subject + 再 + verb.

Use 再 when the repeat is still in the future. You will often hear it in requests and invitations, and with 一遍 or 一次 (one more time).

  1. 请你再说一遍。Qǐng nǐ zài shuō yí biàn.Please say that again.
  2. 欢迎你们以后再来。Huānyíng nǐmen yǐhòu zài lái.You're welcome to come again any time.
  3. 我们下次再来吧。Wǒmen xià cì zài lái ba.Let's come again next time.

又 for things that are sure to happen again

There is one case where 又 talks about the future: something that comes round again for sure, like a day of the week, a holiday or an exam. This 又 usually comes with 是 or 要, and the sentence ends with 了.

  1. 明天又是星期一了。Míngtiān yòu shì xīngqīyī le.It's Monday again tomorrow.
  2. 下个星期又要考试了。Xià ge xīngqī yòu yào kǎoshì le.We've got another exam next week.

Word order with 想, 没有 and 别

又 goes before words like 想, 要 and 没有: 他又没有来 means "he didn't come, again". 再 goes after 想, 要 and 能, directly before the main verb: say 我想再看一遍, not 我再想看一遍.

To tell someone not to do something again, use 别再 + verb + 了.

  1. 他今天又没有来上课。Tā jīntiān yòu méiyǒu lái shàngkè.He didn't come to class again today.
  2. 这个电影很好看,我想再看一遍。Zhège diànyǐng hěn hǎokàn, wǒ xiǎng zài kàn yí biàn.This film is great. I want to watch it again.
  3. 别再迟到了。Bié zài chídào le.Don't be late again.

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