Use of又
Whenever you want to express something like "you did it again!" in Chinese, you generally want to use 又 (yòu).
Contents
- Structure
- Examples
- See also
- Sources and further reading
- Books
又Used in the Past
Structure
Normally, 又 is used to express an action that has already happened again for (at least) the second time. It doesn't have to be in quick succession; it happened before, and now it's happened again.
Examples
- 又 下雨 了 ！
Yòu xiàyǔ le!
It rains again!
- 你 又 迟到 了。
Nǐ yòu chídào le.
You came late again.
- 我 又 写 错 了。
Wǒ yòu xiě cuò le.
I wrote it wrong again.
- 宝宝 又 哭 了。
Bǎobao yòu kū le.
The baby is crying again.
- 他 又 喝 醉 了？
Tā yòu hē zuì le?
He got drunk again?
Colloquial Usage又来了
"又来了" fits the above pattern, but is also a little tricky because it expresses something that is still ongoing, and has already started as the speaker is speaking. Literally it's say, "here it comes again," but it's more accurate to translate it as "there it is again," or "there [he] goes again." It indicates that the speaker is a bit annoyed that it happened again.
又Used in the Future
Structure
When it becomes clear that something is about to happen again, you can also use 又. It's almost as if it has already happened in your mind. In these cases, it's quite common for 又 to be immediately followed by 是 (shì), 要 (yào), 可以 (kěyǐ), 能 (néng), and you'll notice that there's often a 了, indicating that something is about to happen.
又 + 要 / 想 / 可以 / 能 + Verb Phrase (+ 了)
Examples
- 明天 又 要 上班 了 ！
Míngtiān yòu yào shàngbān le! I need to go to work tomorrow AGAIN!
- 我 又 要 迟到 了。
Wǒ yòu yào chídào le.
I'm going to be late again.
- 你 又 想 骗 我 ？
Nǐ yòu xiǎng piàn wǒ?
Are you trying to fool me again?
- 老板 请客，又 可以 吃 大餐 了！
Lǎobǎn qǐngkè, yòu kěyǐ chī dàcān le!
The boss is going to treat us. We can have a big meal again!
- 快 过年 了，我们 又 能 拿 压岁钱 了！
Kuài guònián le, wǒmen yòu néng ná yāsuìqián le!
CNY is coming soon. We can get our new year money again!
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 141-2)
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 157)
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 288)
- New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 202)
- 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (p. 633)
- 现代汉语虚词例释 (p. 588)
Dictionaries
- 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (p. 633)
- 现代汉语虚词例释 (p. 588)
- 现代汉语词典（第5版） (p. 1656)
Websites
Expressing "again" in the past with "you"
(Redirected from ASGN1JR5)
Level B1
Similar to
Emphasizing negation with "you" (B1)
Expressing "again" in the future with "zai" (B1)
Advanced use of "you" (B2)
Used for
Expressing time and date, Referring to the past
Keywords
又, 了
Translations
again
Whenever you want to express something like, "you did it again!" in Chinese, you generally want to use 又 (yòu).
Contents
1 Affirmative Form
1.1 Structure
1.2 Examples
2 Negative Form
2.1 Structure
2.2 Examples
3 Colloquial Saying 又来了
4 Other Usage
5 See also
6 Sources and further reading
6.1 Books
6.2 Dictionaries
6.3 Websites
Affirmative Form
Structure
Normally, 又 is used to express an action that has already happened again for (at least) the second time. It doesn't have to be in quick succession; it happened before, and now it's happened again.
(Subj. +) 又 + Verb + 了
Examples
又 下雨 了 ！
Yòu xiàyǔ le!
It rained again!
你 又 迟到 了 。
Nǐ yòu chídào le.
You're late again.
宝宝 又 哭 了 。
Bǎobao yòu kū le.
The baby is crying again.
我 又 忘 了 。
Wǒ yòu wàng le.
I forgot it again.
Negative Form
Structure
(Subj. +) 又 + 不 / 没 + Verb
Examples
他 又 没 来 上课 。
Tā yòu méi lái shàngkè.
He didn't come to class again.
你们 又 不 付钱 ？
Nǐmen yòu bù fùqián?
You don't pay? Again?
你 又 不 参加 ？
Nǐ yòu bù cānjiā?
You are not going to attend this? Again?
对不起 ，我 又 没 带 书 。
Duìbuqǐ, wǒ yòu méi dài shū.
Sorry, I forgot to bring the book again.
Colloquial Saying 又来了
又来了 fits the above pattern, but is also a little tricky because it expresses something that is still ongoing, and has already started as the speaker is speaking. Literally it says "here it comes again," but it's more accurate to translate it as "there it is again," or "there [he] goes again." It indicates that the speaker is a bit annoyed that it happened again.
Other Usage
When it becomes clear that something is about to happen again, you can also use 又. It's almost as if it has already happened in your mind. In these cases, it's quite common for 又 to be immediately followed by 是 (shì), 要 (yào), 可以 (kěyǐ), 能 (néng), and you'll notice that there's often a 了, indicating that something is about to happen.
Some examples:
今天 又 要 加班 了 ！
Jīntiān yòu yào jiābān le!
We're going to work late today. AGAIN!
老板 请客 ，又 可以 吃 大餐 了 ！
Lǎobǎn qǐngkè, yòu kěyǐ chī dàcān le!
The boss is going to treat us. We can have a big meal again!
快 过年 了 ，我们 又 能 拿 压岁钱 了 ！
Kuài guònián le, wǒmen yòu néng ná yāsuìqián le!
CNY is coming soon. We can get our new year money again!
See also
"Both A and B" with "you"
Comparing "zai" and "you"
"Both… and…" with "ji...you"
Advanced use of "you"
Emphasizing negation with "you"
Expressing "again" in the future with "zai"
Sources and further reading
Books
Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 141-2) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 157) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 288) →buy
New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 202) →buy
现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 633) [ →buy]
现代汉语虚词例释 (pp. 588) →buy
Dictionaries
现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 633) [ →buy]
现代汉语虚词例释 (pp. 588) →buy
现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 1656) →buy
Websites
Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Using 再 and 又