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Level Independent Chinese · HSK 3

又, 再, 再也不 and 继续: Again, Never Again and Keep On

English has one "again"; Chinese has two, split by time. 又 (yòu) looks back at a repetition that has happened. 再 (zài) looks forward to one that hasn't. Getting this right is a big step toward natural Chinese.

又 vs 再

又 + verb + 了 is a repetition that has happened, often with a sigh. 再 + verb is a repetition still to come, in plans, requests and suggestions. 又 is also used for predictable future repeats on the calendar: 明天又是星期一了.

TimeExample
又already happened他又迟到了。 He's late again.
再still to come明天再来吧。 Come again tomorrow.

  • 他昨天来了，今天又来了。

    Tā zuótiān lái le, jīntiān yòu lái le.

    He came yesterday, and he came again today.

  • 请你明天再来一次。

    Qǐng nǐ míngtiān zài lái yí cì.

    Please come again tomorrow.

  • 明天又是星期一了。

    Míngtiān yòu shì xīngqīyī le.

    It's Monday again tomorrow.

Never again: 再也不 / 再也没

再也不 + verb + 了 is a resolution about the future: "I'll never ... again". 再也没 + verb (+ 过) is a fact about the past: "never ... again after that". 重新 (chóngxīn) is "start over, anew"; 反复 (fǎnfù) is "over and over".

  • 我再也不喝酒了。

    Wǒ zài yě bù hē jiǔ le.

    I'll never drink again.

  • 他走了以后，再也没回来过。

    Tā zǒu le yǐhòu, zài yě méi huílai guo.

    After he left, he never came back.

  • 我们重新开始吧。

    Wǒmen chóngxīn kāishǐ ba.

    Let's start over.

Keep on: 继续, 不断, 持续, 连续

继续 (jìxù) + verb: carry on doing. 不断 (búduàn) + verb: constantly, with a process that keeps developing. 持续 (chíxù) + duration: last for. 连续 (liánxù) + number: in a row.

  • 请继续说。

    Qǐng jìxù shuō.

    Please carry on.

  • 这个城市在不断发展。

    Zhège chéngshì zài búduàn fāzhǎn.

    This city keeps on developing.

  • 大雨持续了三天。

    Dàyǔ chíxù le sān tiān.

    The heavy rain lasted three days.

  • 他连续工作了十个小时。

    Tā liánxù gōngzuò le shí ge xiǎoshí.

    He worked ten hours straight.

Common mistakes

  • ✗我明天又来。

    ✓我明天再来。

    Wǒ míngtiān zài lái.

    For a repeat that hasn't happened yet, use 再.

  • ✗他昨天再迟到了。

    ✓他昨天又迟到了。

    Tā zuótiān yòu chídào le.

    For a repeat that already happened, use 又.

  • ✗我再也没喝酒了。 (as a resolution)

    ✓我再也不喝酒了。

    Wǒ zài yě bù hē jiǔ le.

    A promise about the future takes 再也不. 再也没 reports the past.

Questions learners ask

Can 还 mean "again"?

Sometimes, with 想 or 要: 我还想去 (I want to go again / still want to go). Often 还 and 再 combine: 我还想再去一次.

Is 不断 written búduàn?

Yes: 不 changes to bú before the fourth tone of 断.

Practice this in lessons

The Everyday Chinese lessons teach this step by step, with exercises and review built in.

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