# Expressing "again" in the future with "再"

<SentenceQuiz>

- 我们 明年 _再_ 来 。
  <!-- - Wǒmen míngnián _zài_ lái. -->
  - We'll come again next year.
- _再_ 试 一下 。
  <!-- - _Zài_ shì yīxià. -->
  - Try it again.
- 你 可以 _再_ 说 一 遍 吗 ？
  <!-- - Nǐ kěyǐ _zài_ shuō yī biàn ma? -->
  - Can you please say it again?
- 这 本 书 我 要 _再_ 看 一 遍 。
  <!-- - Zhè běn shū wǒ yào _zài_ kàn yī biàn. -->
  - I want to read this book again.
- 你 应该 _再_ 复习 一 遍 。
  <!-- - Nǐ yīnggāi _zài_ fùxí yī biàn. -->
  - You should review it again.
- _再_ 吃 **一点** 。
  <!-- - _Zài_ chī **yīdiǎn**. -->
  - Eat some more.
- _再_ 点 **几个 菜** 吧 。
  <!-- - _Zài_ diǎn **jǐ gè cài** ba. -->
  - Let's order some more dishes.
- 服务员 ，_再_ 来 **两 瓶 啤酒** 。
  <!-- - Fúwùyuán, _zài_ lái **liǎng píng píjiǔ**. -->
  - Waiter, two more bottles of beer, please.
- _再_ 给 我 **三天 时间** 。
  <!-- - _Zài_ gěi wǒ **sān tiān shíjiān**. -->
  - Give me another three days.
- 我 能 不 能 _再_ 拿 **两 个** ？
  <!-- - Wǒ néng bu néng _zài_ ná **liǎng gè**? -->
  - Can I take two more?
- _再_ 找找 。
  <!-- - _Zài_ zhǎozhao. -->
  - Keep looking.
- 你 _再_ 问问 。
  <!-- - Nǐ _zài_ wènwen. -->
  - Keep asking.
- 别 急 ，_再_ 想想 。
  <!-- - Bié jí, _zài_ xiǎngxiang. -->
  - Don't worry. Keep thinking.
- _再_ 聊 一会儿 。
  <!-- - _Zài_ liáo yīhuǐr. -->
  - Keep talking for a little bit.
- _再_ 等 一会儿 。
  <!-- - _Zài_ děng yīhuǐr. -->
  - Wait a little longer.

</SentenceQuiz>

<TOC>

- Level： [B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points) / [HSK2](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/HSK2_grammar_points)
- Similar to
  - [Expressing "again" in the past with "又"](./又.md) (B1)
  - [Expressing "the other" with "另外"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22the_other%22_with_%22lingwai%22) (B1)
  - [Sequencing with "先" and "再"](./先...再.md) (B1)
  - [Comparing "再" and "又"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Comparing_%22zai%22_and_%22you%22) (B2)
  - [Expressing "never again" with "再也不"](../B2/再也不.md) (B2)
  - [Expressing "over and over again" with "再三"](../B2/再三.md) (B2)
  - [Expressing a last chance with "再不... 就..."](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_a_last_chance_with_%22zaibu..._jiu...%22) (B2)
  - [Expressing "even so" with "再不... 也..."](../C1/adverbs/再不.md) (C1)
- Used for: [Expressing time and date](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_time_and_date)
- Keywords: [再](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%86%8D)

</TOC>

While 又 (yòu) is used for ["again" in the past](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Again_in_the_past_with_%22you%22), 再 (zài) is used for "again" in the future. That is, 再 is used when something has happened once and it _will_ happen again.

## Used as "Again"

Remember this is the _future_ "again."

### Structure

Subj. + 再 + [Verb Phrase]

### Examples

- 我们 明年 _再_ 来 。
  <!-- - Wǒmen míngnián _zài_ lái. -->
  - We'll come again next year.
- _再_ 试 一下 。
  <!-- - _Zài_ shì yīxià. -->
  - Try it again.
- 你 可以 _再_ 说 一 遍 吗 ？
  <!-- - Nǐ kěyǐ _zài_ shuō yī biàn ma? -->
  - Can you please say it again?
- 这 本 书 我 要 _再_ 看 一 遍 。
  <!-- - Zhè běn shū wǒ yào _zài_ kàn yī biàn. -->
  - I want to read this book again.
- 你 应该 _再_ 复习 一 遍 。
  <!-- - Nǐ yīnggāi _zài_ fùxí yī biàn. -->
  - You should review it again.

In fact, this structure is present in one of the most common Chinese phrases: "再见!" In this case, it literally means "see you again."

## Used as "Another" or "Some More"

The English word "another" is often avoided altogether by using 再.

### Structure

Subj. + 再 + Verb + Obj.

In this case, the object includes a quantity phrase.

### Examples

- _再_ 吃 **一点** 。
  <!-- - _Zài_ chī **yīdiǎn**. -->
  - Eat some more.
- _再_ 点 **几个 菜** 吧 。
  <!-- - _Zài_ diǎn **jǐ gè cài** ba. -->
  - Let's order some more dishes.
- 服务员 ，_再_ 来 **两 瓶 啤酒** 。
  <!-- - Fúwùyuán, _zài_ lái **liǎng píng píjiǔ**. -->
  - Waiter, two more bottles of beer, please.
- _再_ 给 我 **三天 时间** 。
  <!-- - _Zài_ gěi wǒ **sān tiān shíjiān**. -->
  - Give me another three days.
- 我 能 不 能 _再_ 拿 **两 个** ？
  <!-- - Wǒ néng bu néng _zài_ ná **liǎng gè**? -->
  - Can I take two more?

## Used for Continuous Action

Here 再 is similar to the English "for a while longer" or "keep [going/doing]."

### Structure

Subj. + 再 + Verb + Verb

### Examples

- _再_ 找找 。
  <!-- - _Zài_ zhǎozhao. -->
  - Keep looking.
- 你 _再_ 问问 。
  <!-- - Nǐ _zài_ wènwen. -->
  - Keep asking.
- 别 急 ，_再_ 想想 。
  <!-- - Bié jí, _zài_ xiǎngxiang. -->
  - Don't worry. Keep thinking.

You can also add 一会儿 after the verb to mean "keep doing something a little longer."

- _再_ 聊 一会儿 。
  <!-- - _Zài_ liáo yīhuǐr. -->
  - Keep talking for a little bit.
- _再_ 等 一会儿 。
  <!-- - _Zài_ děng yīhuǐr. -->
  - Wait a little longer.

You can use either the "Verb + Verb" pattern or the 一会儿 pattern with 再, but don't use them together.

## See also

- ["Never again" with "再也不](../B2/再也不.md)
- [Sequencing with "先" and "再"](./先...再.md)
- [Expressing "again" in the past with "又"](./又.md)

## Sources and further reading

### Books

- [HSK Standard Course 2](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/HSK_Standard_Course_2) (pp. 60) [Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy](https://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA,)
- [Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_1) (pp. 157) [Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy](https://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA,)
- [New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)](<https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_3_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC3)>) (pp. 202) [Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy](https://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA,)

### Websites

- Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: [Using 再 and 又](http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0212.html)