Difference between revisions of "Comparing "zai" and "you""

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<li class="o">我们 下次 <em>再</em> 来 这里 吧。<span class="trans">We will come here again next time.</span></li>
 
<li class="o">我们 下次 <em>再</em> 来 这里 吧。<span class="trans">We will come here again next time.</span></li>
 
<li class="o">你 <em>再</em> 帮 我 打印 两 张,这 些 不 够。<span class="trans">You will help me print two sheets, these aren't enough.</span></li>
 
<li class="o">你 <em>再</em> 帮 我 打印 两 张,这 些 不 够。<span class="trans">You will help me print two sheets, these aren't enough.</span></li>
<li class="o">明天 我 可能 会 <em>再</em> 迟到。<span class="trans">I will probably come late again tomorrow.</span></li>
 
<li class="x">明天 我 可能 <strong>又</strong> 迟到。<span class="expl">Since it is talking about the future, you can't use "又"</span></li>
 
 
<li class="o">请 <em>再</em> 说 一次。<span class="trans">Please say it one more time.</span></li>
 
<li class="o">请 <em>再</em> 说 一次。<span class="trans">Please say it one more time.</span></li>
 
<li class="x">请 <strong>又</strong> 说 一次。<span class="expl">Since it is asking about a future action, you can't use "又"</span></li>
 
<li class="x">请 <strong>又</strong> 说 一次。<span class="expl">Since it is asking about a future action, you can't use "又"</span></li>
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</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</div>
 
</div>
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<li class="o">我 <strong>先</strong> 买 房子 <em>再</em> 结婚。<span class="trans">First I'll buy a house, then I'll get married.</span></li>
 
<li class="o">我 <strong>先</strong> 买 房子 <em>再</em> 结婚。<span class="trans">First I'll buy a house, then I'll get married.</span></li>
 
<li class="o">我们 买完 饮料 以后 <em>再</em> 看 电影。<span class="trans">After we buy a drink, then we'll go to a movie.</span></li>
 
<li class="o">我们 买完 饮料 以后 <em>再</em> 看 电影。<span class="trans">After we buy a drink, then we'll go to a movie.</span></li>
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<li class="o">我们 回家 <em>再</em> 讨论 好 吗?<span class="trans">We discuss it after we go home, OK?</span></li>
 
<li class="x">我 要 看 完 书 <em>又</em> 睡觉。<span class="expl">'"又"can not be used as the action"go to bed" haven't occured yet.</span></li>
 
<li class="x">我 要 看 完 书 <em>又</em> 睡觉。<span class="expl">'"又"can not be used as the action"go to bed" haven't occured yet.</span></li>
 
<li class="x">你 <strong>先</strong> 吃饭 <em>又</em> 打 电话 給 父母。<span class="expl">"又" does not sequence events.</span></li>  
 
<li class="x">你 <strong>先</strong> 吃饭 <em>又</em> 打 电话 給 父母。<span class="expl">"又" does not sequence events.</span></li>  
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<li class="x">昨天 我 <strong>再</strong> 看 电影 了<span class="expl">"再" is not used for past events.</span></li>
 
<li class="x">昨天 我 <strong>再</strong> 看 电影 了<span class="expl">"再" is not used for past events.</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
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</div>
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== 又 indicates a emotional coloring or a regularity when involves the future==
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 +
又 is also used to express repetition of an action in the future, 但是用于将来的事情描述时,“又”通常包含一种主观感情色彩的表达,比如:不耐烦,生气,无奈,讨厌,不满等等,有时候也会表示“高兴”等积极情感。或者是对某一规律性的事情的推测。记住,“又”要放在“要”“可以”“会”等助动词和“是”的后面。
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=== Structure ===
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<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subject + 又 + 助动词/谓语动词 + Object
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</div>
 +
 +
=== Example ===
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 +
<div class="liju">
 +
 +
* 明天 <em>又</em> 要 开会,真 烦 人。
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* 你 <em>又</em> 要 辞职 了?为什么?
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* 夏天 快 到 了,<em>又</em> 可以 吃 冰激凌 了!
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* 明天 <em>又</em> 是 星期一!
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* 如果 我 能 瘦 一 些,我 就 <em>又</em> 能 穿 我 最 喜欢 的 裙子 啦!
 
</div>
 
</div>
  

Revision as of 07:06, 2 September 2013

Both 再 (zài) and 又 (yòu) express the duplication of an action and can be roughly translated in English to "again". However, 再 is used to express actions that have not yet occurred (the "future again") and 又 is used for actions that have already occurred (the "past again"). They're not interchangeable.

再 is used to express repetition of an action in the future

再 is used to express something that has already happened and will happen again.

Structure

Subject + 再 + Verb + Object

Examples

  • 我们 下次 来 这里 吧。We will come here again next time.
  • 帮 我 打印 两 张,这 些 不 够。You will help me print two sheets, these aren't enough.
  • 说 一次。Please say it one more time.
  • 说 一次。Since it is asking about a future action, you can't use "又"

再 can be used to say "another"

Along with expressing the repetition of an action, 再 can be used to express the equivalent of the English word "another"

Structure

Subject + 再 + Verb + Object

Examples

  • 我 要 看 一部 电影。I am going to watch another movie.
  • 我 得 写 一篇 作文。Since it is about the future, you can't use "又"
  • 你 可以 做 一碗 面条 吗。You can make another bowl of noodles.
  • 我 要 吃 一块 蛋糕。Since it is about the future, you can't use "又"

再 can be used to say "and then"

再 can be used with 先 to express sequential order (ex. Do this....and then this...). In some cases, 再 can appear by itself to simply mean "and then".

Structure

Subject + (先) + Action 1 + 再 + Action 2

Examples

  • 我们 做 作业 去 酒吧。First we'll do our work, then we'll go to the bar.
  • 买 房子 结婚。First I'll buy a house, then I'll get married.
  • 我们 买完 饮料 以后 看 电影。After we buy a drink, then we'll go to a movie.
  • 我们 回家 讨论 好 吗?We discuss it after we go home, OK?
  • 我 要 看 完 书 睡觉。'"又"can not be used as the action"go to bed" haven't occured yet.
  • 吃饭 打 电话 給 父母。"又" does not sequence events.

又 is used to express repetition of an action that has already occurred in the past

又 is used in declarative sentences and describes the simple repetition of actions. This repeated action has already occurred once in the past。

Structure

Subject + 又 + Verb + 了

Example

  • 你 怎么 给 我 打 电话,什么事?You keep calling me, what's the matter?
  • 这 个 老 男人 来 了。This old man came again.
  • 不 来 上 课 了,老师 可能 罚 他。He didn't come to class again. The teacher is probably going to punish him.
  • 你 为什么 看 这本书? 你 已经 看过 了。Why do are you reading that book again? You already read it.
  • 昨天 他 喝醉 了"再" is not used for past events.
  • 昨天 我 看 电影 了"再" is not used for past events.

又 indicates a emotional coloring or a regularity when involves the future

又 is also used to express repetition of an action in the future, 但是用于将来的事情描述时,“又”通常包含一种主观感情色彩的表达,比如:不耐烦,生气,无奈,讨厌,不满等等,有时候也会表示“高兴”等积极情感。或者是对某一规律性的事情的推测。记住,“又”要放在“要”“可以”“会”等助动词和“是”的后面。

Structure

Subject + 又 + 助动词/谓语动词 + Object

Example

  • 明天 要 开会,真 烦 人。
  • 要 辞职 了?为什么?
  • 夏天 快 到 了, 可以 吃 冰激凌 了!
  • 明天 是 星期一!
  • 如果 我 能 瘦 一 些,我 就 能 穿 我 最 喜欢 的 裙子 啦!

又 is used to emphasize negation

又 can be placed before a negating verb or adjective to emphasize said negation.

Structure

Subject + 又 + 不/没 + Verb + Object

Examples

  • 吃 肉,只 吃素 。I really don't eat meat. I just eat vegetables.
  • 要 去 酒吧 。He's definitely not going to the bar.
  • 昨天 我 看 电影,我 做 作业 。I definitely didn't go to the movies last night. I did work.
  • 要 吃 日本 菜,我 要 吃 中国 菜 。"再" cannot emphasize the negation by itself.
  • 要 跟 他 一起 去 吃 饭。你 要 跟 我 去 。"再" cannot emphasize the negation by itself.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites