Sequential Events: 先...然后/再 (xiān...ránhòu/zài)

This pattern connects two or more actions in a specific order. You use 先 (xiān) for the first step. Then, you use 然后 (ránhòu) or 再 (zài) for the next step. It is like a relay race. One verb finishes its lap. Then it hands the baton to the next one. You can even chain them together for long lists. Usually, the subject comes before 先. Sometimes the subject can come after 然后. But 先 almost always stays right before the first verb. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Green means go for the first action. Yellow means transition to the next.

1. 1Start with your Subject (like 我 or 你).
2. 2Add 先 right before the first verb.
3. 3State your first action or phrase.
4. 4Add 然后 or 再 before the second verb.
5. 5State your second action.
6. 6For extra steps, add another 然后 or 最后 (zuìhòu) for the end.
7. 7Example: 我先洗澡，然后再睡觉。 (I first shower, then sleep.)

Use this when the order of events actually matters. Use it when you are ordering food at a busy stall. 'I want to order this first, then that.' Use it when giving directions to a lost tourist. 'First turn left, then go straight.' It is perfect for job interviews. Use it to describe your professional workflow. It makes you sound like a logical thinker. Use it for daily routines. 'First I drink coffee, then I start work.' Yes, even native speakers rely on this constantly. It is the bread and butter of storytelling. Use it to explain how to use an app. It works for any step-by-step process.

Don't use this for things happening at the same time. If you are singing while showering, use 一边...一边. This grammar is strictly for one after another. Also, do not use it for long-term life stages. For 'First I lived in Beijing, then I moved to Shanghai' over years, 后来 is better. This pattern is for immediate sequences or logical steps. Do not use it if there is no sequence. If you just like two things, use 和 or 也. Only use it when time or order is the focus. Using it for simultaneous actions will confuse your listener. They will wait for you to finish the first thing.

The biggest trap is the 'English word order' mistake. In English, we might say 'I go to school first.' In Chinese, 先 must come before the verb. Never say 我去学校先. Your Chinese teacher might cry if you do that. Another mistake is forgetting the subject position. If the subject changes, put the new subject after 然后. Do not put 先 at the very start of the sentence before the subject. 先我吃饭 sounds very clunky and unnatural. Keep 先 tucked right next to its verb. Also, do not confuse 再 with 又. 再 is for future or intended sequences. 又 is for things that already happened again.

然后 vs 再 is the classic debate. 然后 is very flexible and common in speech. It is like saying 'and then...' repeatedly. It is the king of casual conversation. 再 is often used for future plans or conditions. It feels a bit more like 'and then only after that.' It is shorter and punchier. You can even combine them into 然后再. This sounds very natural and smooth. Compare this to 以后 (yǐhòu). 以后 means 'after,' but it usually follows the action. 先...然后 leads the action from the front. It sets the stage for the sequence immediately.