Lessons 1, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11: Time words: 仍然, 曾经, 以后 and 后来

Situations that continue, things that happened before, and the difference between 以后 and 后来.

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来中国以前，他曾经学过几个月汉语。

Lái Zhōngguó yǐqián, tā céngjīng xué guo jǐ ge yuè Hànyǔ.

Before coming to China, he had studied Chinese for several months.

Explanation

仍然 (or 仍) expresses that a situation continues or returns to its former state (still, yet). It goes before a verb or adjective as an adverbial.

曾经 indicates that an action or situation happened some time earlier, usually not recently; that action or situation has now ended. 已经 expresses that something was completed not long ago, and the action or situation may still be continuing. For example: 他曾经当过中学老师 (he is no longer a teacher); 他已经当了中学老师 (he is still a teacher).

以后 refers to a time later than the present or than some point in time; it can follow a noun, verb or clause, and can refer to the past as well as the future. 后来 can only be used on its own and only refers to the past. So you cannot say 来中国后来……, and you cannot say 大学毕业后来……

Structure

1
仍然 / 仍V / Adj
Still, yet; a situation continues or returns to how it was.
- 昨天有雨，今天仍然有雨。
  Zuótiān yǒu yǔ, jīntiān réngrán yǒu yǔ.
  It rained yesterday, and it is still raining today.
- 这个语法老师已经讲过了，可是我仍然不太懂。
  Zhège yǔfǎ lǎoshī yǐjīng jiǎng guo le, kěshì wǒ réngrán bú tài dǒng.
  The teacher has already explained this grammar point, but I still don't quite understand it.
- 现在赵霞已成了我的妻子，余辉仍然是我最好的朋友。
  Xiànzài Zhào Xiá yǐ chéng le wǒ de qīzi, Yú Huī réngrán shì wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyou.
  Zhao He is now my wife, and Yu Hui is still my best friend.
2
曾经Vverb过 / 已经Vverb了
曾经: used to, now over; 已经: already completed, may still be continuing.
- 来中国以前，他曾经学过几个月汉语。
  Lái Zhōngguó yǐqián, tā céngjīng xué guo jǐ ge yuè Hànyǔ.
  Before coming to China, he had studied Chinese for several months.
- 十年前他曾经去过中国。
  Shí nián qián tā céngjīng qù guo Zhōngguó.
  Ten years ago he went to China. (He is no longer there as he speaks.)
- 昨天他已经去了中国。
  Zuótiān tā yǐjīng qù le Zhōngguó.
  He went to China yesterday. (He is there as he speaks.)
- 他曾经当过中学老师。
  Tā céngjīng dāng guo zhōngxué lǎoshī.
  He used to be a middle-school teacher. (No longer.)
- 他已经当了中学老师。
  Tā yǐjīng dāng le zhōngxué lǎoshī.
  He has become a middle-school teacher. (Still is.)
3
N / V / vế câu + 以后；后来 (dùng riêng, chỉ quá khứ)
以后 can refer to the past and the future; 后来 refers only to the past.
- 我们俩毕业以后，就再没见过面。
  Wǒmen liǎ bìyè yǐhòu, jiù zài méi jiàn guo miàn.
  After the two of us graduated, we never saw each other again.
- 来中国以后，我就住在他家。
  Lái Zhōngguó yǐhòu, wǒ jiù zhù zài tā jiā.
  After coming to China, I stayed at his home.
- 我明年大学毕业，大学毕业以后我就参加工作。
  Wǒ míngnián dàxué bìyè, dàxué bìyè yǐhòu wǒ jiù cānjiā gōngzuò.
  Next year I graduate from university, and after graduating I will go to work.
- 我现在要去上课，我们以后再说吧。
  Wǒ xiànzài yào qù shàngkè, wǒmen yǐhòu zàishuō ba.
  I have to go to class now; let's talk later.
- 这件事以后再说吧。
  Zhè jiàn shì yǐhòu zàishuō ba.
  Let's talk about this later.
- 我们俩去年在一个班学习，后来（以后）她就回国了。
  Wǒmen liǎ qùnián zài yí ge bān xuéxí, hòulái (yǐhòu) tā jiù huíguó le.
  Last year the two of us were in the same class; later she went back to her country.

Usage notes

Don't say 来中国后来……; say 来中国以后……; don't say 大学毕业后来……, because 后来 refers only to the past and cannot follow a clause like that.
"Have never" uses 没……过, without adding 曾经: 我以前没来过中国。

Common mistakes

~~我以前曾经没有来过中国，这是第一次。~~
我以前没来过中国，这是第一次。
"Have never" uses 没……过, without adding 曾经

Practice

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