One of the most often confused words are 后来 (hòulái) and 然后
(ránhòu). They are similar on the surface, meaning something like
"and then," but their usage is fairly different.
后来 is used to
describe previous things
后来 is a time noun, and it can only be used on its own. It
describes a certain time period in the past to the present, and it
allows the speaker to described what happened in that period.
Structure
Examples
- 1977 年 他 考上 了 大学，后来 就 没 回 过 老家。In
1977, he went to college. He didn't come back to his hometown after
that.
然后 is used to
describe things happens next
然后 is always used in a sequence. It is often used with 先 (xiān, meaning "first").
Structure
Examples
- 我们 先 去 吃饭 ， 然后 去 超市 。 Wǒmen xiān
qù chīfàn, ránhòu qù chāoshì.I'm going to eat, then I'll go to the
supermarket.
- 他 先 说 了 一 个 好 消息 ， 然后 又 说 了 一 个 坏 消息 。 Tā xiān shuō le yī gè hǎo xiāoxi, ránhòu yòu shuō
le yī gè huài xiāoxi.First he told the
good news, then he told the bad news.
Examples of right
and wrong sentences
- 我们 想 先 去 美国， 后来 去 加拿大。
- 我们 想 先 去 美国， 然后 去 加拿大。
Example dialog
- A: 我 先 去 你 家，然后 你 和 我 一起 去 见 她？First I'll go to your house, then you and I can go together
to see her.
- B: 对。你们 几 年 没 见 了？Sure. How many years has
it been that you haven't seen each other?
- A:两 年 前 她 出国 了， 后来 就 一直 没 见过 她。She
left the country two years ago. Since then, I haven't seen
her.
Sources and further
reading
Books
Dictionaries
Category:grammar comparison