The Structure 再...

The word 再 is an adverb. This means it likes to hang out right before the verb. It tells the listener that the action will repeat in the future. It is not for things that already happened. If you already ate two bowls of rice, don't use 再. If you want a third bowl right now, 再 is your best friend. It acts like a signal for what comes next. It’s the linguistic equivalent of saying "Wait, let's do that one more time!" It keeps the conversation flowing toward future possibilities.

1. 1Using 再 is like building with blocks. It follows a very predictable order. Here is how you can stack your sentences:
2. 2Start with your Subject (who is doing the action).
3. 3Add the word 再 (this is your "again" marker).
4. 4Finish with the Verb (what is being repeated).
5. 5Add any extra details like objects or durations at the end.
6. 6Pattern: Subject + 再 + Verb + (Object)
7. 7Example: 我 (I) + 再 (again) + 喝 (drink) + 一杯 (a cup).
8. 8Full sentence: 我再喝一杯。 (I will drink another cup.)

You should use 再 in several common daily scenarios.

• Ordering Food: Use it when you want "another one" of something delicious. 再来一个! (Another one!) is a phrase you will use often.
• Asking for Clarification: If a teacher speaks too fast, use 再. 请再说一遍。 (Please say it again.) It’s polite and clear.
• Delayed Actions: Use it with 先 (first) to show a sequence. 先吃饭，再学习。 (Eat first, then study.) This is like a grammar traffic light. It tells us the order of operations.
• Social Farewells: When leaving a party, 再见 is the standard. It promises a future meeting.
• Adding More: When you want to add more to a total. 再等五分钟。 (Wait five more minutes.)

Don't use 再 for things that are already over. If you watched a movie twice yesterday, 再 will confuse people. It is strictly for the "not yet" or the "future."

Also, avoid using it with negative results that already occurred. It doesn't look backward at history. It’s like a car that only has a "Drive" gear and no "Reverse."

Avoid using it to mean "also" in a general sense. If you like apples and also like pears, use 也, not 再. 再 implies a repetition of the *action*, not just an additional preference.

One big mistake is putting 再 after the verb. In English, we say "See you again." In Chinese, we say "Again see."

• ✗ Wrong: 见再。
• ✓ Correct: 再见。

Another trap is using it for past events.

• ✗ Wrong: 昨天我再去。 (Yesterday I went again - using 再 here is a no-go).

Sometimes people forget the verb entirely.

• ✗ Wrong: 我再咖啡。 (I again coffee).
• ✓ Correct: 我再要一杯咖啡。 (I want another cup of coffee).

Even native speakers might skip small words, but as a learner, keep the verb in there. It makes your meaning crystal clear. Think of 再 as a prefix to your action. It needs a buddy to make sense.

The biggest rival to 再 is 又. They both mean "again," which is annoying, right?

• 再 is for the future. It’s a plan or a wish.
• 又 is for the past. It’s a fact that already happened.

If you tell a joke and nobody laughs, and you try again, use 再. If you tell the same joke every day and people are tired of it, they will use 又.

Another comparison is with 还. 还 means "still" or "also."

• 我还想要。 means "I still want it" (a continuous state).
• 我再想要。 is rarely used; we say 我还要一个 to mean "I want one more."