Lesson 1: The adverbs 还是 and 就 · 才 · 再 · 又

The adverb 还是 expresses a choice made after comparison; review choosing among 就, 才, 再 and 又 through the textbook exercises.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 3 · Lesson 1

我们还是坐火车去吧。

Wǒmen háishi zuò huǒchē qù ba.

We'd better take the train.

Explanation

“还是” is an adverb that expresses a choice made after comparing two known things. Sometimes the sentence has no object of comparison, but the comparison has already been made in the speaker's mind.

Examples: 我们还是坐火车去吧 (already compared with flying, going by car…); 我还是喜欢古典音乐 (already compared with modern music, currently popular music…).

Note: the textbook only explains 还是; 就, 才, 再 and 又 appear only in the choose-the-word exercise (选词填空 C). The usages below are drawn from the sentences and answers of that exercise:

才

late / slow / not until (爸爸每天都很晚才下班; 你怎么现在才来).

就

early / right away / as soon as (今天下午五点就下班了; 明天我下了课就去看她).

再

repetition, something that hasn't happened yet (请您再说一遍).

又

repetition, something that has already happened (今天我又买了一本).

Structure

1
还是lựa chọn (sau khi đã so sánh)
Often used with 吧 when making a suggestion; the object of comparison may exist only in the speaker's mind.
- 我们还是坐火车去吧。
  Wǒmen háishi zuò huǒchē qù ba.
  We'd better take the train.
- 我还是喜欢古典音乐。
  Wǒ háishi xǐhuan gǔdiǎn yīnyuè.
  I still prefer classical music.
- A：我们去上海还是去西安？ B：还是去西安吧。
  A: Wǒmen qù Shànghǎi háishi qù Xī’ān? B: Háishi qù Xī’ān ba.
  A: Shall we go to Shanghai or to Xi'an? B: Let's go to Xi'an after all.
2
才 (muộn) / 就 (sớm, ngay)
Drawn from the 选词填空 C exercise: 才 indicates late or slow; 就 indicates early or right away.
- 再有两个月就要放寒假了。
  Zài yǒu liǎng ge yuè jiù yào fàng hánjià le.
  In two more months winter vacation will start.
3
再V (chưa xảy ra) / 又V (đã xảy ra)
Drawn from the 选词填空 C exercise and the examples in the lesson.
- 好借好还，再借不难。
  Hǎo jiè hǎo huán, zài jiè bù nán.
  Borrow and return, and borrowing again isn't hard.
- 她又想跟我们一起去了。
  Tā yòu xiǎng gēn wǒmen yìqǐ qù le.
  She wants to come along with us again.
- A：你怎么了？ B：嗨，别提了，昨天又拉肚子了。
  A: Nǐ zěnme le? B: Hāi, bié tí le, zuótiān yòu lādùzi le.
  A: What's wrong? B: Ugh, don't even mention it, I had diarrhea again yesterday.

Usage notes

就 / 才 / 再 / 又 may have more than one acceptable choice in some sentences; go by context (early/late, happened/not yet happened).

Practice

22 questions in 2 sets. One at a time, checked instantly, with explanations.

Start practice