Chinese Language Learning Program Lesson 130 – How to use yòu又, zài再and hái还

Chinese Language Learning Program

Lesson 130 – How to use yòu又, zài再and hái还

Hello, everyone. Welcome back. This is Baixue’s Chinese Language Learning Program. Last time we talked about the difference between bù (不)  and méi (没) / méi yǒu (没有). Today, we will talk about how to use yòu又, zài再and hái还.

The adverb “yòu又”、“zài再”、“hái还” all indicate the repetition of an action or the continuation of a state. But there are some differences among them.

yòu

 又 (again)

1.   to indicate that something happens a second time

nǐ yòu ná cuò wén jiàn le.

你  又   拿   错    文    件 了。(You got the wrong file again.)

tā yòu hē zuì le.

他  又   喝  醉 了。(He is drunk again.)

2.   to indicate that something is now in a particular state or place that it used to be in.

zhōng yāng gōng nuǎn xì tǒng yǐ jīng guān shàng. wǒ 

    中       央       供      暖   系    统  已   经    关        上，  我   

yòu bà tā dǎ kāi le.

           又 把  它 打  开 了。

          (The central heating's been turned off. I've turned it on      

           again.)

          tā dǎ kāi chē mén, ná chū yī gè wén jiàn hòu yòu bǎ tā 

          她 打  开    车   门， 拿   出 一  个   文    件    后  又    把 它   

          guān shàng le.

             关   上    了。

          (She opened the car door, and took out a file then closed it

           again.)

          yào shì tā zhī dào zhè jiàn shì, yòu huì bù ɡāo xìnɡ le.

           要    是 她  知  道     这   件   事，又    会  不   高    兴   了。

           (She will not be happy again if she knows about this.)

zài

 再 (again, back)

1.   to indicate that something happens a second time

tā zài yī cì wěn le tā.

他 再 一 次   吻 了 她。(He kissed her again.)

zhè běn xiǎo shuō wǒ xiǎnɡ zài kàn yí biàn.

 这    本    小      说    我    想    再    看   一  遍 。

(I want to read this novel one more time.)

nǐ nénɡ zài shuō yī biàn mɑ ？

你    能   再    说   一   遍    吗 ？

(Can you say that again? OR I beg your pardon.)

2.   to indicate that something happens a second time, because the result does not show up.

xiàn zài xià bān le, qǐnɡ nǐ mínɡ tiān zài lái bɑ.

  现   在  下    班  了,  请   你   明     天   再  来  吧 。

 (We are off duty now, please come back tomorrow.)

wǒ men zài děnɡ tā yí huì ér .

 我   们    再    等   他 一  会  儿 。

 (We will wait for him for a few more minutes.)

3.   “再”+ negative words, for example:“再不、别再、再没”indicates that an action will not be repeated or a state will no longer continue.

wǒ zài yě bù xiǎnɡ jiàn nǐ le.

 我  再  也 不     想    见   你 了。

(I do not want to see you again.)

wǒ zài méi jiàn ɡuò tā.

我   再   没   见     过 他。(I did not see him again.)

méi guān xì, dàn shì bié zài nà yàng zuò le.

  没    关   系，但    是  别  再  那   样      做 了。

(Forget it, but don't do it again!)

hái

 还 (still, yet, even  more, still more)

1.   Indicates the continuation of an action or a state.

shí nián méi jiàn le, tā hái nà me nián qīng.

 十    年    没   见  了, 她  还  那  么    年    轻。

(I have not see her for ten years, but she looks still young.)

nǐ zěn me hái bù ɡāo xìnɡ ne？

你  怎   么   还  不   高    兴   呢？

(Why are you still not happy?)

nǐ hái bù zǒu mɑ ？

你  还  不   走  吗 ？(You still do not want to leave?)

“ 还  ” is often used to emphasize someone’s subjective desire or intention for the action to be repeated, so it is often used with  “ 要  ” ， “ 想    ” .  “ 再  ” is to used to emphasize an objective need for the action to be repeated.

bǐ jiào ：

比 较   ： Comparison:

1. zhè ér de huán jìnɡ zhēn bú cuò,  wǒ mínɡ tiān hái xiǎnɡ 

     这  儿 的     环    境     真    不   错， 我    明     天    还     想    

     lái.

  来。

   (It is a very nice view here, I want to come here again tomorrow.)

2. yǐ jīnɡ xià bān le,  nǐ mínɡ tiān zài lái bɑ.

已  经   下  班   了,  你   明     天   再 来  吧。

(We are off duty now, please come back tomorrow.)

Ok, that is all for today.

xiè  xiè!

 谢   谢 ! (Thanks!)

xià  cì  jiàn

 下  次  见!  (See you next time!)