Expressing "again" in the future with "zai"

Level

B1 / HSK2
Level

B1
Level

HSK2
Similar to
Similar to
- Comparing "zai" and "you" (HSK3)
- Expressing "again" in the past with "you" (HSK3)
- Sequencing with "xian" and "zai" (HSK3, HSK4)
- Expressing "the other" with "lingwai" (HSK4)
- Expressing "never again" with "zai ye bu" (HSK5)
- Expressing "over and over again" with "zaisan" (HSK5)
- Expressing a last chance with "zaibu... jiu..." (HSK5)
- Expressing "even so" with "zaibu... ye..." (HSK6)
Used for

Expressing time and date
Keywords

再

While 又 (yòu) is used for "again" in the past, 再 (zài) is used for "again" in the future. That is, 再 is used when something has happened once and it will happen again.

再 as "again"

The basic structure for using the future "again" is:

Subj. + 再 + Verb Phrase

Some examples:

我明天再来。Wǒ míngtiān zài lái.I'll come again tomorrow.
请再说一遍。Qǐng zài shuō yī biàn.Say it again, please.
我想再看一遍。Wǒ xiǎng zài kàn yībiàn.I want to watch it again.
你再试一下。Nǐ zài shì yīxià. Try it again.
你可以帮我再问一下吗？Nǐ kěyǐ bāng wǒ zài wèn yīxià ma?Can you ask for me one more time?

In fact, this structure is present in one of the most common Chinese phrases: "再见!" In this case, it literally means "See you again!"

再 as "another" or "some more"

The English word "another" is often avoided altogether by using 再.

Examples:

再吃一点。Zài chī yī diǎn. Eat more.
我们再找一个人吧。Wǒmen zài zhǎo yī gè rén ba.Let's find another person.
我们再等他五分钟吧。Wǒmen zài děng tā wǔ fēnzhōng ba.Let's wait for him five more minutes.
你再给我五十块。Nǐ zài gěi wǒ wǔshí kuài. Give me fifty more kuai.
我们再给她一点时间。Wǒmen zài gěi tā yīdiǎn shíjiān.We'll give her a little more time.

再 as "continuous action"

Here 再 is similar to the English "for a while longer" or "keep [going/doing]".

Examples:

再找找。Zài zhǎozhao. Keep looking a little bit.
再等等他吧。Zài děngdeng tā ba.Keep waiting for him for a little while.
时间还早，再玩一会儿吧。Shíjiān hái zǎo, zài wán yīhuǐ'er ba.It's still early. Let's keep playing for a while.
现在才六点半，我想再睡一会儿。Xiànzài cái liù diǎn bàn, wǒ xiǎng zài shuì yīhuǐ'er.It's only 6:30. I want to sleep a little longer.
你们想不想再休息一会儿？Nǐmen xiǎng bu xiǎng zài xiūxi yīhuǐ'er? Do you guys want to rest for a little longer?

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

Websites

Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Using 再 and 又