Comparing "houlai" and "ranhou"

One of the most often confused words are 后来 (hòulái) and 然后 (ránhòu). They are similar on the surface, meaning something like "and then," but their usage is fairly different.

后来 is used to describe previous things

后来 is a time noun, and it can only be used on its own. It describes a certain time period in the past to the present, and it allows the speaker to described what happened in that period.

Structure

Part A，后来， Part B

Examples

• 1977 年 他 考上 了 大学，后来 就 没 回 过 老家。In 1977, he went to college. He didn't come back to his hometown after that.

然后 is used to describe things happens next

然后 is always used in a sequence. It is often used with 先 (xiān, meaning "first").

Structure

Action 1，然后 + Action 2

Examples

• 我们 先 去 吃饭 ， 然后 去 超市 。 Wǒmen xiān qù chīfàn, ránhòu qù chāoshì.I'm going to eat, then I'll go to the supermarket.
• 他 先 说 了 一 个 好 消息 ， 然后 又 说 了 一 个 坏 消息 。 Tā xiān shuō le yī gè hǎo xiāoxi, ránhòu yòu shuō le yī gè huài xiāoxi.First he told the good news, then he told the bad news.

Examples of right and wrong sentences

• 我们 想 先 去 美国， 后来 去 加拿大。
• 我们 想 先 去 美国， 然后 去 加拿大。

Example dialog

• A: 我 先 去 你 家，然后 你 和 我 一起 去 见 她？First I'll go to your house, then you and I can go together to see her.
• B: 对。你们 几 年 没 见 了？Sure. How many years has it been that you haven't seen each other?
• A:两 年 前 她 出国 了， 后来 就 一直 没 见过 她。She left the country two years ago. Since then, I haven't seen her.

Sources and further reading

Books

• 对外汉语教学语法释疑201例 (p.7) →buy
• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (然后 pp. 461) →buy

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (后来 pp. 570) →buy

HSK4