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<h1>In the future in general with "<span class="pinyinst">yǐhòu</span>" "<span class="hanzist">以后</span>"</h1>
<p>Similar to talking about things in the past, talking about things in the future is very straight forward. You can use the simple but useful <span class="hanzi">以后</span> (<span class="pinyin">yǐhòu</span>), which also means "<b>later</b>."</p>
<h2 id="structure-1">Structure</h2>
<p>To talk about things happening at some unspecified time in the future, you can use <span class="hanzi">以后</span> (<span class="pinyin">yǐhòu</span>). The structure is:</p>
<div class="deux">
<p><span class="hanzist">以后</span> + Subj. + Verb + Obj.</p>
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<p>You can also move <span class="hanzi">以后</span> (<span class="pinyin">yǐhòu</span>) to right after the subject, and it's also correct.</p>
<div class="deux">
<p>Subj. + <span class="hanzist">以后</span> + Verb + Obj.</p>
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<p>This can be used to talk about actions in the future, or to talk about events that happened after other events in a story.</p>
<h2 id="examples-1">Examples</h2>
<p>In the examples below, the translation "in the future" is used, because using "later" for <span class="hanzi">以后 </span>(<span class="pinyin">yǐhòu</span>) either sounds weird, or makes it sound like it's going to happen really soon (just a little later), rather than at some indefinite point in the future, which is what is meant.</p>
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<li><span class="hanzi"><span class="fondjaune">以后</span> 你们 会 想我 吗？</span><br/><span class="pinyin"><span class="fondjaune">Yǐhòu</span> nǐmen huì xiǎng wǒ ma?</span> <br/>In the future, will you miss me?</li>
<li><span class="hanzi"><span class="fondjaune">以后</span> 你 想 来 中国 吗？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin"><span class="fondjaune">Yǐhòu</span> nǐ xiǎng lái Zhōngguó ma?</span><br/> In the future, do you want to come to China?</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">我 <span class="fondjaune">以后</span> 不 喝酒 了。</span><br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <span class="fondjaune">yǐhòu</span> bù hējiǔ le.</span><br/> I will not drink alcohol in the future.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">我们 <span class="fondjaune">以后</span> 不 在 这里 工作 了。</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <span class="fondjaune">yǐhòu</span> bù zài zhèlǐ gōngzuò le.</span> <br/>We will not work here in the future.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">你儿子 <span class="fondjaune">以后</span> 想 做 什么？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ érzi <span class="fondjaune">yǐhòu</span> xiǎng zuò shénme?</span> <br/>In the future, what does your son want to do?</li>
<li><span class="hanzi"><span class="fondjaune">以后</span> 你们 想 去哪儿 工作？</span><br/><span class="pinyin"><span class="fondjaune">Yǐhòu</span> nǐmen xiǎng qù nǎr gōngzuò?</span> <br/>In the future, where would you like to work?</li>
<li><span class="hanzi"><span class="fondjaune">以后</span> 我们 会 有 一些 新 的 同事。</span><br/><span class="pinyin"><span class="fondjaune">Yǐhòu</span> wǒmen huì yǒu yīxiē xīn de tóngshì.</span><br/> We will have some new co-workers in the future.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi"><span class="fondjaune">以后</span> 你 可以 住 在 这里。</span><br/><span class="pinyin"><span class="fondjaune">Yǐhòu</span> nǐ kěyǐ zhù zài zhèlǐ.</span><br/> In the future, you can live here.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">他们 <span class="fondjaune">以后</span> 会 结婚 吗？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Tāmen <span class="fondjaune">yǐhòu</span> huì jiéhūn ma?</span> <br/>Will they get married in the future?</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">你 <span class="fondjaune">以后</span> 不 要 跟 他 见面 了。</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ <span class="fondjaune">yǐhòu</span> bùyào gēn tā jiànmiàn le.</span> <br/>In the future, stop seeing him.</li>
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<h2 id="see-also-1">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href=""Before"_in_general" title="wikilink">"Before" in general</a></li>
<li><a href="After_a_specific_time" title="wikilink">After a specific time</a></li>
<li><a href="Before_and_after_with_"zhiqian"_and_"zhihou"" title="wikilink">Before and after with "zhiqian" and "zhihou"</a></li>
<li><a href="Sequencing_past_events_with_"houlai"" title="wikilink">Sequencing past events with "houlai"</a></li>
<li><a href="Expressing_future_with_"jiang"" title="wikilink">Expressing future with "jiang"</a></li>
<li><a href="Comparing_"yihou"_and_"houlai"" title="wikilink">Comparing "yihou" and "houlai"</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading-1">Sources and further reading</h2>
<h3 id="books-1">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li>Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 268)</li>
<li>Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 26 - 27)</li>
<li>Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 293-4)</li>
</ul>
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