Lessons 24, 26, 27 and 28: The adverbs 再 and 又

Distinguishing 再 (a repetition that has not happened yet) from 又 (a repetition that has already happened).

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 2 · Lesson 24 · Hanyu 2 · Lesson 26 · Hanyu 2 · Lesson 27 · Hanyu 2 · Lesson 28

他昨天来看我了，今天又来了。

Tā zuótiān lái kàn wǒ le, jīntiān yòu lái le.

He visited me yesterday, and he came again today.

Explanation

The adverbs 再 and 又 both go before the verb as adverbials and express the repetition of an action or situation. The difference is: 再 is used for an action or situation that has not yet been repeated; 又 is generally used for an action or situation that has already been repeated.

About 再 (Lesson 24): placed before a verb as an adverbial, it expresses the repetition or continuation of an action (or state); this repetition or continuation has not yet taken place.

Structure

1
再Vverb
The repetition or continuation of an action (or state) that has not yet taken place.
- 您再说一遍，好吗？
  Nín zài shuō yí biàn, hǎo ma?
  Could you say it one more time, please?
- 明天我再来。
  Míngtiān wǒ zài lái.
  I'll come again tomorrow.
- 今天我去看她了，我想明天再去。
  Jīntiān wǒ qù kàn tā le, wǒ xiǎng míngtiān zài qù.
  I visited her today, and I want to go again tomorrow.
- 他上午来了，下午没有再来。
  Tā shàngwǔ lái le, xiàwǔ méiyǒu zài lái.
  He came in the morning, but he didn't come again in the afternoon.
2
又Vverb
An action or situation that has already been repeated.
- 他昨天来看我了，今天又来了。
  Tā zuótiān lái kàn wǒ le, jīntiān yòu lái le.
  He visited me yesterday, and he came again today.
- 他昨天没来上课，今天又没来。
  Tā zuótiān méi lái shàngkè, jīntiān yòu méi lái.
  He didn't come to class yesterday, and he didn't come again today.

Usage notes

For something that hasn't happened yet (about to be / will be repeated) use 再; for something that has happened (has been repeated) use 又.

Practice

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