Difference between revisions of "Comparing "zai" and "you""
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| − | === Examples === | + | === Examples === |
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li class="o">我们 <strong>先</strong> 做 作业 <em>再</em> 去 酒吧。 | + | <li class="o">我们 <strong>先</strong> 做 作业 <em>再</em> 去 酒吧。<span class="trans">First we'll do our work, then we'll go to the bar.</span></li> |
| − | <li class="x">你 <strong>先</strong> 吃饭 <em>又</em> 打 电话 給 父母。 | + | <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="o">我 <strong>先</strong> 买 房子 <em>再</em> 结婚。 | + | <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。 | + | <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="x">我 要 看 完 书 <em>又</em> 睡觉。 | + | <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> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
== 又 is used to express repetition of an action that has already occurred in the past == | == 又 is used to express repetition of an action that has already occurred in the past == | ||
| − | [[Again in the past with "you"|又 is used in declarative sentences and describes the simple repetition of actions.]] This repeated action has already occurred once in the | + | |
| + | [[Again in the past with "you"|又 is used in declarative sentences and describes the simple repetition of actions.]] This repeated action has already occurred once in the past。 | ||
=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li class="o">你 怎么 <em>又</em> 给 我 打 电话，什么事？ | + | <li class="o">你 怎么 <em>又</em> 给 我 打 电话，什么事？<span class="trans">You keep calling me, what's the matter?</span></li> |
| − | <li class="o">这 个 老 男人 <em>又</em> 来 了。 | + | <li class="o">这 个 老 男人 <em>又</em> 来 了。<span class="trans">This old man came again.</span></li> |
| − | <li class="o">他 <em>又</em> 不 来 上 课 了，老师 可能 罚 他。 | + | <li class="o">他 <em>又</em> 不 来 上 课 了，老师 可能 罚 他。<span class="trans">He didn't come to class again. The teacher is probably going to punish him.</span></li> |
| − | <li class="o">你 为什么 <em>又</em> 看 这本书? 你 已经 看过 了。 | + | <li class="o">你 为什么 <em>又</em> 看 这本书? 你 已经 看过 了。<span class="trans">Why do are you reading that book again？ You already read it.</span></li> |
| − | <li class="x">昨天 他 <strong>再</strong> 喝醉 了 | + | <li class="x">昨天 他 <strong>再</strong> 喝醉 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 | + | <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> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
== 又 is used to emphasize negation == | == 又 is used to emphasize negation == | ||
| − | [[Emphasizing negation with "you"|又 can be placed before a negating verb or adjective to emphasize said negation | + | |
| + | [[Emphasizing negation with "you"|又 can be placed before a negating verb or adjective to emphasize said negation]]. | ||
=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
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=== Examples === | === Examples === | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li class="o">我 <em>又</em> <strong>不</strong> 吃 肉，只 | + | <li class="o">我 <em>又</em> <strong>不</strong> 吃 肉，只 吃素 。<span class="trans">I really don't eat meat. I just eat vegetables.</span></li> |
| − | <li class="o">他 <em>又</em> <strong>不</strong> 要 去 | + | <li class="o">他 <em>又</em> <strong>不</strong> 要 去 酒吧 。<span class="trans">He's definitely not going to the bar.</span></li> |
| − | <li class="o">昨天 我 <em>又</em> <strong>没</strong> 看 电影，我 做 | + | <li class="o">昨天 我 <em>又</em> <strong>没</strong> 看 电影，我 做 作业 。<span class="trans">I definitely didn't go to the movies last night. I did work.</span></li> |
| − | <li class="x">我 <em>再</em> <strong>不</strong> 要 吃 日本 菜，我 要 吃 中国 | + | <li class="x">我 <em>再</em> <strong>不</strong> 要 吃 日本 菜，我 要 吃 中国 菜 。<span class="expl">"再" cannot emphasize the verb.</span></li> |
| − | <li class="x">你 <em>再</em> <strong>不</strong> 要 跟 他 一起 去 吃 饭。你 要 跟 我 | + | <li class="x">你 <em>再</em> <strong>不</strong> 要 跟 他 一起 去 吃 饭。你 要 跟 我 去 。<span class="expl">"再" cannot emphasize the verb.</span></li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 09:51, 27 August 2013
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
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 and 又 is used for actions that have already occurred. Understanding how and when to use these two words is very important.
Contents
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 再 来 这里 吧。We will come here again next time.
- 你 再 帮 我 打印 两 张，这 些 不 够。You will help me print two sheets, these aren't enough.
- 明天 我 可能 会 再 迟到。I will probably come late again tomorrow.
- 明天 我 可能 又 迟到。Since it is talking about the future, you can't use "又"
- 请 再 说 一次。Please say it one more time.
- 请 又 说 一次。Since it is asking about a future action, you can't use "又"
再 can be used to say "another"
Structure
Subject + 再 + Verb + Object
Examples
- 我 要 再 看 一部 电影。I am going to watch another movie.
- 我 得 又 写 一篇 作文。Since it is about the future, you can't use "又"
- 你 可以 再 做 一碗 面条 吗。You can make another bowl of noodles.
- 我 要 又 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 先 做 作业 再 去 酒吧。First we'll do our work, then we'll go to the bar.
- 你 先 吃饭 又 打 电话 給 父母。"又" does not sequence events.
- 我 先 买 房子 再 结婚。First I'll buy a house, then I'll get married.
- 我们 买完 饮料 以后 再 看 电影。After we buy a drink, then we'll go to a movie.
- 我 要 看 完 书 又 睡觉。'"又"can not be used as the action"go to bed" haven't occured yet.
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 又 给 我 打 电话，什么事？You keep calling me, what's the matter?
- 这 个 老 男人 又 来 了。This old man came again.
- 他 又 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 又 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 再 喝醉 了"再" is not used for past events.
- 昨天 我 再 看 电影 了"再" is not used for past events.
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
- 我 又 不 吃 肉，只 吃素 。I really don't eat meat. I just eat vegetables.
- 他 又 不 要 去 酒吧 。He's definitely not going to the bar.
- 昨天 我 又 没 看 电影，我 做 作业 。I definitely didn't go to the movies last night. I did work.
- 我 再 不 要 吃 日本 菜，我 要 吃 中国 菜 。"再" cannot emphasize the verb.
- 你 再 不 要 跟 他 一起 去 吃 饭。你 要 跟 我 去 。"再" cannot emphasize the verb.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 157) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 202) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 157) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 288) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 202) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 258-9) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 19-20) →buy
Websites
- Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Using 再 and 又
