Expressing "again" in the future with "zai"

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:

Subject + 再 + Verb + Object

Some examples:

• 再 说 一次 吧。Zài shuō yīcì ba.Say it again one more time.
• 你 不 要 再 迟到了。Nǐ bùyào zài chídàole.Don't be late again.
• 我 下 次 再 来。Wǒ xià cì zài lái.I'll come again next time.
• 我们 再等他五分钟吧。Wǒmen zài děng tā wǔ fēnzhōng ba.Let's wait for him five more minutes.

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 "and then"

A usage that feels sort of related but deserves separate mention is the use of 再 to mean "and then." It is often preceded by 先 when giving clear sequential orders ("first do this... then do this..."), but it can also appear by itself to mean "and then."

The examples:

• 我们 先 吃饭 再 谈。Wǒmen xiān chīfàn zài tán.We'll eat first, and then we'll talk.
• 你 先 找 工作 再 考虑 买 房子。Nǐ xiān zhǎo gōngzuò zài kǎolǜ mǎi fángzi.First find a job, then you can think about buying a house.
• 我们 先 吃 了 饭 再 去。Wǒmen xiān chīle fàn zài qù.We ate first, then we went.

再 as "another" or "some more"

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

Examples:

• 你 再 给 我 一 张 纸。Nǐ zài gěi wǒ yī zhāng zhǐ.Give me another piece of paper.
• 我们 再 找 一 个 人 吧。Wǒmen zài zhǎo yīgè rén ba.Let's find another person.
• 她 想 再 做 一 个 新 的 作品。Tā xiǎng zài zuò yīgè xīn de zuòpǐn.She wants to do a new kind of work.

Examples:

• 你 再 给 我 一点 钱。Nǐ zài gěi wǒ yīdiǎn qián.Give me a little more money.
• 我们 再 给 她 点 时间 。Wǒmen zài gěi tā diǎn shíjiān.We'll give her a little more time.
• 她 想 再 吃 点 冰淇淋 。Tā xiǎng zài chī diǎn bīngqílín.She wants to eat a little more ice cream.

再 as "continuous action"

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

Examples:

• 时间 还 早，你们 再 玩 一会儿 吧。Shíjiān hái zǎo, nǐmen zài wán yīhuǐ'er ba.It's still early, you can keep playing for a while.
• 再 找 找，找 不 到 我们 就 回去。Zài zhǎo zhǎo, zhǎo bù dào wǒmen jiù huíqù.Look a little more. If we can't find it, we'll go home.
• 我 想 再 睡 会儿，太 困 了。Wǒ xiǎng zài shuì huì er, tài kùnle.I want to sleep a little longer. I'm so tired.

See also

• "Never again" with "zai ye bu"

• Sequencing with "xian" and "zai"

• Again in the past with "you"

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