# Sequencing with "先" and "再"

<SentenceQuiz>

- _先_ 洗 手 _再_ 吃。
  <!-- - _Xiān_ xǐ shǒu _zài_ chī. -->
  - Wash your hands first, and then eat.
- 我 喜欢 _先_ 洗澡 ，_再_ 睡觉 。
  <!-- - Wǒ xǐhuan _xiān_ xǐzǎo, _zài_ shuìjiào. -->
  - I prefer to take a bath first and then go to bed.
- 请 你 _先_ 买 票 _再_ 进去。
  <!-- - Qǐng nǐ _xiān_ mǎi piào _zài_ jìnqù. -->
  - Please buy a ticket first and then enter.
- 你 要 _先_ 做 作业 ，_再_ 看 电视。
  <!-- - Nǐ yào _xiān_ zuò zuòyè, _zài_ kàn diànshì. -->
  - You need to do your homework first, and then watch TV.
- 我 想 _先_ 找 工作 ，_再_ 搬家 。
  <!-- - Wǒ xiǎng _xiān_ zhǎo gōngzuò, _zài_ bānjiā. -->
  - I want to find a job first, and then move.
- _先_ 吃饭 _再 说_ 。
  <!-- - _Xiān_ chīfàn _zài shuō_. -->
  - Let's eat first, then we'll talk.
- _先_ 休息 一下 _再说_ 。
  <!-- - _Xiān_ xiūxi yīxià _zàishuō_. -->
  - Let's rest a little first, then we'll see.
- 你 _先_ 看 完 _再说_ 。
  <!-- - Nǐ _xiān_ kàn wán _zàishuō_. -->
  - Finish reading first, and then we'll see.
- 我 _先_ 问 一下 老板 _再说_ 。
  <!-- - Wǒ _xiān_ wèn yīxià lǎobǎn _zàishuō_. -->
  - I'm going to ask the boss first before doing anything else.
- 你们 _先_ 讨论 一下 _再说_ 。
  <!-- - Nǐmen _xiān_ tǎolùn yīxià _zàishuō_. -->
  - You guys discuss a little first, then we'll figure out what to do next.
- 今天 早上 我 起床 以后 _先_ 准备 早饭 ，_再_ 叫 孩子们 起床 ，**接着** 我们 一起 吃早饭 ，_然后_ 我 送 他们 去 学校 。
  <!-- - Jīntiān zǎoshang wǒ qǐchuáng yǐhòu _xiān_ zhǔnbèi zǎofàn, _zài_ jiào háizi men qǐchuáng, **jiēzhe** wǒmen yīqǐ chī zǎofàn, _ránhòu_ wǒ sòng tāmen qù xuéxiào. -->
  - After I got up this morning, I first prepared breakfast, and then I woke up the kids. Next, we ate breakfast together. After that, I took them to school.

</SentenceQuiz>

<TOC>

- Level: [B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points) / [HSK3](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/HSK3_grammar_points) and [HSK4](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/HSK4_grammar_points)
- Similar to
  - [Expressing "again" in the future with "再"](./再.md) (B1)
  - [Expressing "again" in the past with "又"](./又.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)
- Used for: [Sequencing events in time](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Sequencing_events_in_time), [Expressing order](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_order), [Listing](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Listing)
- Keywords: [再](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%86%8D), [先](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%85%88), [然后](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%84%B6%E5%90%8E)

</TOC>

The word [再 (zài)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%86%8D) actually has a lot of uses, beyond just ["again"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Again_in_the_future_with_%22zai%22), and in this pattern it means something like "and then." 先⋯⋯，再⋯⋯ (xiān..., zài...) is a pattern used for sequencing events, much like "first..., then..." in English. This pattern can also include 然后 (ránhòu), meaning "and after that."

## Basic Usage

In the pattern below, 先 means "first" and 再 has a meaning of "then" or "and then."

### Structure

先 ⋯⋯ ，再 ⋯⋯

### Examples

- _先_ 洗 手 _再_ 吃。
  <!-- - _Xiān_ xǐ shǒu _zài_ chī. -->
  - Wash your hands first, and then eat.
- 我 喜欢 _先_ 洗澡 ，_再_ 睡觉 。
  <!-- - Wǒ xǐhuan _xiān_ xǐzǎo, _zài_ shuìjiào. -->
  - I prefer to take a bath first and then go to bed.
- 请 你 _先_ 买 票 _再_ 进去。
  <!-- - Qǐng nǐ _xiān_ mǎi piào _zài_ jìnqù. -->
  - Please buy a ticket first and then enter.
- 你 要 _先_ 做 作业 ，_再_ 看 电视。
  <!-- - Nǐ yào _xiān_ zuò zuòyè, _zài_ kàn diànshì. -->
  - You need to do your homework first, and then watch TV.
- 我 想 _先_ 找 工作 ，_再_ 搬家 。
  <!-- - Wǒ xiǎng _xiān_ zhǎo gōngzuò, _zài_ bānjiā. -->
  - I want to find a job first, and then move.

## Colloquial Usage with 再说

You may have learned that [再说 can mean "in addition"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22In_addition%22_with_%22zaishuo%22). Well, the usage of 再 here is a more literal combination of 再说, fitting into the 先⋯⋯再⋯⋯ pattern.

So in this usage, 再说 doesn't really mean "in addition." Rather, it most literally means, "and then we'll talk." In other words, "let's just do this now," and then after we see the result, we can talk some more about next steps. There's a "let's see how this goes first" feeling to the expression.

### Structure

Note that in the pattern below, the sentence normally ends with 再说.

先 + [Verb Phrase] + 再说

### Examples

The 再说 part in the following sentences can be a little tricky to translate into English.

- _先_ 吃饭 _再 说_ 。
  <!-- - _Xiān_ chīfàn _zài shuō_. -->
  - Let's eat first, then we'll talk.
- _先_ 休息 一下 _再说_ 。
  <!-- - _Xiān_ xiūxi yīxià _zàishuō_. -->
  - Let's rest a little first, then we'll see.
- 你 _先_ 看 完 _再说_ 。
  <!-- - Nǐ _xiān_ kàn wán _zàishuō_. -->
  - Finish reading first, and then we'll see.
- 我 _先_ 问 一下 老板 _再说_ 。
  <!-- - Wǒ _xiān_ wèn yīxià lǎobǎn _zàishuō_. -->
  - I'm going to ask the boss first before doing anything else.
- 你们 _先_ 讨论 一下 _再说_ 。
  <!-- - Nǐmen _xiān_ tǎolùn yīxià _zàishuō_. -->
  - You guys discuss a little first, then we'll figure out what to do next.

## "and then..." with 接着

When describing a series of actions, steps, or consecutive events, your Chinese will sound more natural if you can diversify your conjunctions. [然后](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%84%B6%E5%90%8E) (ránhòu) is most commonly used, a conjunction which means "[and then](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/And_then)." Alternatively, you can use 接着 (jīezhe), as a conjunction that means "next," or "afterwards."

A longer example to help you understand how they can all work together:

- 今天 早上 我 起床 以后 _先_ 准备 早饭 ，_再_ 叫 孩子们 起床 ，**接着** 我们 一起 吃早饭 ，_然后_ 我 送 他们 去 学校 。
  <!-- - Jīntiān zǎoshang wǒ qǐchuáng yǐhòu _xiān_ zhǔnbèi zǎofàn, _zài_ jiào háizi men qǐchuáng, **jiēzhe** wǒmen yīqǐ chī zǎofàn, _ránhòu_ wǒ sòng tāmen qù xuéxiào. -->
  - After I got up this morning, I first prepared breakfast, and then I woke up the kids. Next, we ate breakfast together. After that, I took them to school.

## Sources and further reading

### Books

- [HSK Standard Course 3](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/HSK_Standard_Course_3) (pp. 119) [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,)
- [HSK Standard Course 4下](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/HSK_Standard_Course_4%E4%B8%8B) (pp. 105) [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 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)](<https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed)>) (pp. 258-9) [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 2](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_2) (pp. 19-20) [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,)
- [卓越汉语－公司实战篇](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%EF%BC%8D%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87) (pp. 172) [卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy](http://amzn.to/2z4g8q6,)