{{Grammar Box}} 

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 ===

<div class="jiegou">

Part A，后来， Part B

</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
* 1977 年 他 考上 了 大学，<em>后来</em> 就 没 回 过 老家。<span class="trans">In 1977, he went to college. He didn't come back to his hometown after that.</span>
</div>

== 然后 is used to describe things happens next ==

然后 is always used in a sequence. It is often used with [[Sequencing with "xian" and "zai"|先 (xiān, meaning "first")]].

=== Structure ===

<div class="jiegou">
Action 1，然后 + Action 2
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
* 我们 先 去 吃饭 ， <em>然后</em> 去 超市 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen xiān qù chīfàn, <em>ránhòu</em> qù chāoshì.</span><span class="trans">I'm going to eat, then I'll go to the supermarket.</span>
* 他 先 说 了 一 个 好 消息 ， <em>然后</em> 又 说 了 一 个 坏 消息 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā xiān shuō le yī gè hǎo xiāoxi, <em>ránhòu</em> yòu shuō le yī gè huài xiāoxi.</span><span class="trans">First he told the good news, then he told the bad news.</span>
</div>

== Examples of right and wrong sentences ==

<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="x">我们 想 先 去 美国， <em>后来</em> 去 加拿大。</li>
<li class="o">我们 想 先 去 美国， <em>然后</em> 去 加拿大。</li>
</ul>
</div>

== Example dialog==

<div class="liju">
* A: 我 先 去 你 家，<em>然后</em> 你 和 我 一起 去 见 她？<span class="trans">First I'll go to your house, then you and I can go together to see her.</span>
* B: 对。你们 几 年 没 见 了？<span class="trans">Sure. How many years has it been that you haven't seen each other?</span>
* A:两 年 前 她 出国 了， <em>后来</em> 就 一直 没 见过 她。<span class="trans">She left the country two years ago. Since then, I haven't seen her.</span>
</div>

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===
*[[对外汉语教学语法释疑201例]] (p.7) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]
*[[现代汉语八百词（增订本）]] (然后 pp. 461) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]
=== Dictionaries ===
* [[现代汉语词典（第5版）]] (后来 pp. 570) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1 →buy]


[[Category:grammar comparison]]
{{Basic Grammar|然后|B1|然后 vs 后来|他 先 告诉 了 我 一 个 好 消息，<em>然后</em> 又 告诉 了 我 一 个 坏 消息，后来 他 就 走 了。|grammar point|ASGA3RJD}}
{{Rel char|后来}}
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
{{Used for|Expressing time and date}}
{{Used for|Expressing order}}
{{Used for|Sequencing events in time}}
{{Similar|Sequencing past events with "houlai"}}
{{Comparison|Time Words}}
{{Translation|then}}
{{Translation|after}}