又和再yòu hé zài

Distinguishing Adverbs 又 and 再 (Again)

Meaning: Again: 又 for past repetition, 再 for future recurrence

Pattern

又 (yòu) and 再 (zài) both translate to “again” or “once more”, but they differ fundamentally in their time frames.
又 refers to actions that have already recurred in the past.
For example: 他昨天又来了 (He came again yesterday - the event has already happened).
In contrast, 再 is used for actions that will happen or repeat in the future, often carrying a request or suggestion: 你再说一遍 (Please say it once again - has not yet happened).
Handy rule of thumb: 又

•又 = repeated in the past; 再 = will repeat in the future or in requests.

⚠️ Common Mistakes:

•Incorrect: 明天又见。 → Correct: 明天再见。 (meeting tomorrow is a future event, use 再)

•Incorrect: 他昨天再来了。 → Correct: 他昨天又来了。 (happened yesterday in the past, use 又)

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