Comparing "benlai" and "yuanlai"

If something is supposed to be the way it is or what you think it is, we say that it is "originally" or "it's supposed to be", which in Chinese are "本来"（běnlái) and"原来"（yuánlái). "本来"（běnlái) is usually adverb while "原来"（yuánlái) could be both adjective and adverb. However, they are used in different ways and different places, so this article will help you distinguish when and where to use them.

"本来" ，as an adverb，often requires “就” after "本来" to emphasize

Structure

Subject +本来+就+很/不+Adj. Subject+本来+就+会/要/得/应该+ Verb

Examples

• 生活本来 就 很 现实。Life is real originally.
• 创业本来就 不 容易。It's not supposed to be an easy thing to start your own business.
• 照顾 孩子本来 就 是 父母 的 责任。Taking care of babies is supposed to be the responsibility of parents.
• 老师本来就 应该 好好 备课。Teachers are supposed to prepared the lesson very well.
• 美国 人 本来就 会 说 流利 的 英文。Americans are supposed to speak fluent English.

If something happened unexpectedly later,"本来" is preferred rather than "原来" considering there is a change of the original situation。Since it's happened,the pattern "是···的" is suggested here.If you are just trying to give some fact,then "是···的" is optional。

Subject+本来+是+（不）要/会/得/应该+ Verb+的，但是/可是/不过/现在/后来···

Examples

• 我本来 是 要 去 参加 你的 生日 派对 的，可是 周末 突然 要 加班。I was going to your birthday party,but I had to work some extra time this weekend.
• 他本来是 应该 考 得 更好 的，可是 那天 他 发 高烧 了。He was supposed to do better at the test.However,he got a high fever the other day .
• 我们本来 是 不 打算 去 的，后来 因为 他们 打 了 好 几次 电话 就 去 了。We did't plan to go but we did finally because they called more than once.
• 这些 工作本来是 不必 今天 就 做 完 的，不过 如果 你 想 快点 做 完 也 可以。These work doesn't need to be done by today.But if you wanna finish them sooner,you go ahead.
• 我本来是 要 跟 他 结婚 的，可是后来发现了 我们 真的 不合适。I was going to married him while I found we are just not meant for each other.

If you wanna put an emphasis on what it is or what you think it is as you've got an opinion to express after that,then"本来+就" would help you sound more convincing。

Structure

Subject+本来+就+what you think it is true or right

Examples

• 你本来 就 够 瘦 了 ，还要减肥吗？ You are slender in the first place and you are still planning on losing some weight?
• 他讲得本来就 不 对，为什么还要我听他的？What he said is wrong in the first place so why are you still asking me to follow him?
• 他本来就 不 是 个 好 人，你怎么还要帮他？He is not a decent man and why do you still wanna help him?
• 她本来就 不 喜欢你，你 别 再 追 她 了。She doesn't like you in the first place so stop romancing her.
• 他说话的方式本来就 很容易 让人 不舒服，你别介意。The way he speaks is annoying anyway so don't take it personnally.

原来

"原来" is more used to emphasize what you accidentally find out or realize in some certain sistuation.It's somewhat the same when you mean "it turned out···" and "原来" could be located at the beginning or the middle of the sentence.The most two useful patterns are as follows:

Structure

原来+是（因为/为了）+fact/truth/reason/purpose

怪不得+[observation]，原来+[reason]

Examples

• 原来 是 你 啊！我 刚才 真 没 看 出来。It is you!I didn't recognize you.
• 原来 是这样啊，那是我做错了。Oh，that's it.I did it wrong in the first place.
• 怪不得你中文说得这么好，原来你在中国住了三十多年。No wonder that your Chinese is so good.You lived in China for more than 30 years.
• 原来他们住在一起，怪不得他们常常一起上下班。They are living with each other!No wonder they often come to and get off work together.
• 怪不得总是对他那么好,原来你一直都喜欢他.No wonder that you treat him so well.You have feelings for the guy all the time.

“原来”is also used as an adjective meaning previous or former.

Structure

原来的+noun

Examples

• 这是我原来 的家。This is my old house.
• 他原来的公司关门了。His former company closed down.
• 你们原来的看法不是这样的。This is not what you previously thought about it.
• 我现在的男朋友比原来 的男朋友帅多了。My current boyfriend is a lot cuter than my ex.
• 你原来的头发那么黑，现在白了很多。Your hair was so black before and now it's all turning grey.

Sources and further reading

Books

• Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 94-6) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 195-6) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 5 (新实用汉语课本5) (pp. 29)→buy
• Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇) (pp. 22-23) →buy