又 vs 再: what is the difference?
又 repeats something that has already happened, as in 他又迟到了. 再 repeats something that has not happened yet, as in 请再说一遍。
| Word | Pinyin | What it does | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 又 | yòu | Means a repeated action that has already happened again. | Subject + 又 + verb + 了 |
| 再 | zài | Repeats an action that has not happened yet, so it looks ahead. | 再 + Verb |
又 (yòu)
Means a repeated action that has already happened again.
Structure: Subject + 又 + verb + 了
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他昨天来了，今天又来了。 | Tā zuó tiān lái le, jīn tiān yòu lái le. | He came yesterday and came again today. |
| 我又忘了他的名字。 | Wǒ yòu wàng le tā de míng zì. | I have forgotten his name again. |
| 你怎么又哭了？ | Nǐ zěn me yòu kū le? | Why are you crying again? |
Not: 明天我又来。 For a repeat in the future use 再: 明天我再来.
再 (zài)
Repeats an action that has not happened yet, so it looks ahead.
Structure: 再 + Verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 下次我再来。 | Xià cì wǒ zài lái. | I will come again next time. |
| 请再等我五分钟。 | Qǐng zài děng wǒ wǔ fēn zhōng. | Please wait for me five more minutes. |
| 我想再吃一碗面条。 | Wǒ xiǎng zài chī yì wǎn miàn tiáo. | I would like another bowl of noodles. |
Not: 他昨天再迟到了。 The lateness already happened, so use 又: 他昨天又迟到了。
Where this comes from
The comparison is part of Frequency Adverbs: 经常、重新、老是、又 (HSK 2) in the grammar reference, which has the full explanation, more worked examples, and what to learn before and after it.
More pairs: 次 vs 遍 · 刚 vs 刚才 · 更 vs 还 · 还 vs 已经 · 看见 vs 看到 · 可以 vs 能 · 吗 vs 吧 · 吗 vs 是不是 · 如果 vs 只要 · 上去 vs 上来 · 往 vs 向 · 有点儿 vs 一点儿 · all 81 pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 又 and 再?
又 repeats something that has already happened, as in 他又迟到了. 再 repeats something that has not happened yet, as in 请再说一遍。
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