Expressing "never again" with "zai ye bu"

Sometimes you may do something or experience something that you never ever want to do again. How do we express that in Chinese? One of the ways is to use this quirky combination of three little words: 再也不 (zài yě bù)!

Using 再也 with 不

Structure

To express that something will never be done again, or never happen again, you can use this structure:

Subj. + 再也 + 不 (+ Auxiliary Verb) + Verb Phrase + 了

Notice that 了 is used. In this case it's "change of state 了". This is because it is now the case that the action will not be done again. It indicates some kind of determination or decision.

Examples

• 我 再也不 想 看到 你 了 ！Wǒ zài yě bù xiǎng kàndào nǐ le!I never want to see you again!
• 我 再也不 想 跟 你 说话 了 。Wǒ zài yě bù xiǎng gēn nǐ shuōhuà le.I don't want to talk with you ever again.
• 我们 再也不 会 相信 你 了 ！Wǒmen zài yě bù huì xiāngxìn tā le!We're not going to believe you ever again!
• 医生 说 她 再也不 能 跳舞 了 。Yīshēng shuō tā zài yě bù néng tiàowǔ le.The doctor said she will never be able to dance again.
• 我 再也不 要 离开 你 了 。Wǒ zài yě bù yào líkāi nǐ le. I'm not going to leave you ever again.

Using 再也 with 没

Structure

Subj. + 再也 + 没 + Verb + 过 + Obj.

Notice that 过 is used. This pattern expresses that during a certain period of time in the past, or from a certain point in the past up until now, something hasn't been done again.

Examples

• 从 那 以后 ，我 再也没 去 过 酒吧 。Cóng nà yǐhòu, wǒ zài yě méi qù guo jiǔbā.Since then, I've never been to a bar again.
• 出国 以后 ，我 再也没 吃 过 地道 的 中国 菜 。Chūguó yǐhòu, wǒ zài yě méi chī guo dìdào de Zhōngguó cài.Since leaving my country, I've never eaten any authentic Chinese food.
• 分手 以后 ，他们 再也没 见 过 。Fēnshǒu yǐhòu, tāmen zài yě méi jiàn guo.They haven't seen each other ever since they broke up.
• 毕业 以后，她 再也没 花 过 父母 的 钱 。Bìyè yǐhòu, tā zài yě méi huā guo fùmǔ de qián.She has never spent her parents' money since she graduated.
• 考 完 试 以后，我 再也没 碰 过 那些 书 。Kǎo wán shì yǐhòu, wǒ zài yě méi pèng guo nàxiē shū.Since finishing exams I haven't touched those books again.

See Also

• Sequencing with "xian" and "zai"
• Again in the future with "zai"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) (pp. 299) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 2 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (pp. 174) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 265) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

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