Expressing the Order in Chinese

Grammar Point:
To express the order of several actions can involve many different options in Chinese, but the basic structure is 先 xiān… 再 zài…, which can translate into first… and then… in English.

Basic Structure

S₁ + 先… + S₂ + 再…

When both subjects are the same, it is ok to drop the S₂. One more thing you need to remember is that 再 zài is not a conjunction word, so if there is an S₂, please place it after S₂.

你nǐ先xiān洗手xǐshǒu， 再zài吃飯chīfàn你nǐ先xiān洗手xǐshǒu， 再zài吃饭chīfàn
You wash your hands first, then eat.

媽媽māma先xiān付錢fùqián， 我wǒ再zài給gěi媽媽māma錢qián妈妈māma先xiān付钱fùqián， 我wǒ再zài给gěi妈妈māma钱qián
Mom pays first, then I give her money.

你nǐ先xiān冷靜lěngjìng， 我們wǒmen再zài說shuō你nǐ先xiān冷静lěngjìng， 我们wǒmen再zài说shuō
You calm down first, then we’ll talk.

S₁ + 先… + 然後/然后, S₂ + 再…

It is very common to involve the conjunction word 然後后 ránhòu (and then) in this structure, especially in oral speech.

我們wǒmen先xiān去qù買mǎi啤酒píjiǔ， 然後ránhòu再zài回家huíjiā看kàn電影diànyǐng我们wǒmen先xiān去qù买mǎi啤酒píjiǔ， 然后ránhòu再zài回家huíjiā看kàn电影diànyǐng
We’ll go buy beer first, then go home and watch a movie.

你nǐ先xiān告訴gàosù我wǒ你nǐ做zuò了le什麼shénme， 然後ránhòu我wǒ再zài決定juédìng要不要yàobúyào原諒yuánliàng你nǐ你nǐ先xiān告诉gàosu我wǒ你nǐ做zuò了le什么shénme， 然后ránhòu我wǒ再zài决定juédìng要不要yàobúyào原谅yuánliàng你nǐ
Tell me what you did first, and then I’ll decide if I want to forgive you.

Interchangeable Structures

S₁ + …後/后 + S₂ + 再…

你nǐ做zuò功課gōngkè後hòu再zài看kàn電視diànshì你nǐ做zuò功课gōngkè后hòu再zài看kàn电视diànshì
You finish your homework and then you can watch TV.

S₁ + V了O + S₂ + 再…

你nǐ做zuò了le功課gōngkè再zài看kàn電視diànshì你nǐ做zuò了le功课gōngkè再zài看kàn电视diànshì
You finish your homework and then you can watch TV.

S₁ + V完O + S₂ + 再…

你nǐ做zuò完wán功課gōngkè再zài看kàn電視diànshì你nǐ做zuò完wán功课gōngkè再zài看kàn电视diànshì
You finish your homework and then you can watch TV.

S… + 再說/再说

This term is similar to the English term “let’s see how this goes first.” Usually, there are no more words after 再說说 zàishuō, except for the suggestion word 吧 ba.

你nǐ做zuò完wán功課gōngkè再說zàishuō你nǐ做zuò完wán功课gōngkè再说zàishuō
We’ll see after you finish your homework.

我wǒ真的zhēnde很hěn餓è， 我們wǒmen先xiān吃飯chīfàn再說zàishuō吧ba我wǒ真的zhēnde很hěn饿è， 我们wǒmen先xiān吃饭chīfàn再说zàishuō吧ba
I’m really hungry. Let’s eat first and then we’ll see.

不管bùguǎn你nǐ想xiǎng做zuò什麼shénme， 等děng我wǒ下班xiàbān再說zàishuō不管bùguǎn你nǐ想xiǎng做zuò什么shénme， 等děng我wǒ下班xiàbān再说zàishuō
Whatever you want to do, wait until I get off work. (and then we’ll see.)

Other Phrases You Can Express Order in Chinese

The following words are all conjunction words in Chinese.

• Next：接下來来 jiē xiàlái

• Next step：下一步 xià yíbù

• After that：接著着 jiēzhe

• Then：再來来 zàilái

• Finally：最後后 zuìhòu

• At first：首先 shǒuxiān

• And then：然後后 ránhòu

How to make dumplings

首先，高麗菜洗乾淨後切一切，再放鹽，然後等30分鐘，再來把高麗菜的水倒掉。下一步，絞肉先加蔥、鹽、香油、糖、米酒、水，再用筷子慢慢攪拌。接著把高麗菜和絞肉加在一起，接下來一直攪拌。最後把絞肉包進水餃皮中，就完成了。首先，高丽菜洗干净后切一切，再放盐，然后等30分钟，再来把高丽菜的水倒掉。下一步，绞肉先加葱、盐、香油、糖、米酒、水，再用筷子慢慢搅拌。接着把高丽菜和绞肉加在一起，接下来一直搅拌。最后把绞肉包进水饺皮中，就完成了。

Shǒuxiān, gāolìcài xǐ gānjìng hòu qiēyìqiē, zài fàng yán, ránhòu děng 30 fēnzhōng, zàilái bǎ gāolìcài de shuǐ dàodiào. Xiàyíbù, jiǎoròu xiān jiā cōng, yán, xiāngyóu, táng, mǐjiǔ, shuǐ, zài yòng kuàizi mànman jiǎobàn. Jiēzhe bǎ gāolìcài hé jiǎo ròu jiā zài yìqǐ, jiēxiàlái yízhí jiǎobàn. Zuìhòu bǎ jiǎoròu bāojìn shuǐjiǎopí zhōng, jiù wánchéngle.

First, wash the cabbage and cut it, then add salt, then wait 30 minutes, and then pour out the water from the cabbage. Next, add green onion, salt, sesame oil, sugar, rice wine, and water to the minced pork first and stir slowly with chopsticks. Next, add the cabbage and minced pork together and keep stirring. Finally, wrap the minced pork in the dumpling wrapper, and you are done.

• Synonyms of “Again” in Chinese : 再 zài, 又 yòu, and 還/还 hái (A2 level)