“Again” in Chinese 2 Grammar

Posted on by tiffany

OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 3
Grammar Point · HSK 3

又 yòu — “Again”

又 yòu also means “again” — but unlike 再 zài, it looks back at a repeat that has already happened, usually with 了 le closing the sentence.

又 yòu — Again, Chinese grammar

又 yòu sits before the verb and points backward in time. 再 zài points ahead to a repeat that hasn’t happened yet; 又 yòu looks back at one that already has.

1Structure

S + 又 yòu + V (+ 了 le)

Points at something that happened before and is happening again now, usually with 了 le at the end.

你nǐ上次shàngcì说shuō错cuò，这zhè次cì又yòu说shuō错cuò了le。
You were wrong last time, and you’re wrong again this time.
我wǒ说shuō过guò她tā今天jīntiān不bù在家zàijiā，你nǐ怎么zěnme又yòu来lái了le？
I told you she wasn’t home today, so why did you come again?
你nǐ这zhè次cì又yòu没méi带dài钱包qiánbāo吗ma？
Did you forget your wallet this time too?
这zhè是shì他tā第五次dìwǔcì喝hē金门Jīnmén高粱酒gāoliángjiǔ，他tā又yòu喝hē醉zuì了le。
This is the fifth time he’s had Kinmen Kaoliang liquor, and he’s drunk again.
Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor

Cultural Note: 金门高粱酒 Jīnmén Gāoliángjiǔ — Kaoliang liquor comes from Kinmen, a small Taiwanese island near the coast of mainland China, and it’s distilled from sorghum rather than rice. It’s known for being strong — commonly in the high-30s to 60%+ ABV range — with an earthy, slightly peppery flavor. It shows up often at Taiwanese banquets and toasts.

S + 又 yòu + Optative Verb (想 xiǎng / 要 yào / 希望 xīwàng)

又 yòu can also mark a hypothetical repeat — if there’s an optative verb, 又 yòu goes right before it.

如果rúguǒ我wǒ又yòu想xiǎng去qù那nà家jiā餐厅cāntīng，那nà我wǒ一定yídìng是shì醉zuì了le。
If I want to go to that restaurant again, then I must be drunk. (hypothetical)
你nǐ不bú要yào又yòu想xiǎng骗piàn我wǒ。
Don’t try to deceive me again.

2Common Mistake

❌ 请qǐng你nǐ又yòu说shuō一次yícì
✅ 请qǐng你nǐ再zài说shuō一次yícì
又 yòu describes a repeat that already happened. A request for a repeat that hasn’t happened yet needs 再 zài instead.

3Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01I gave up learning languages again because of my busy work schedule.
因为yīnwèi工作gōngzuò很hěn多duō，我wǒ又yòu放弃fàngqì学xué语言yǔyán了le。
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02He got the answer wrong again.
他tā又yòu答dá错cuò了le。
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03You overslept again this morning.
你nǐ今天jīntiān早上zǎoshàng又yòu睡shuì过头guòtóu了le。
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04If you’re late again, I’ll be really upset.
你nǐ要是yàoshì又yòu迟到chídào，我wǒ会huì很hěn生气shēngqì。
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05She forgot her umbrella again.
她tā又yòu忘wàng了le带dài伞sǎn。
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06I heard you missed the bus again today.
我wǒ听说tīngshuō你nǐ今天jīntiān又yòu错过cuòguò公交车gōngjiāochē了le。
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07I forgot my password again.
我wǒ又yòu忘记wàngjì密码mìmǎ了le。
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08Teacher Tiffany started laughing at my Chinese again.
Tiffany老师lǎoshī又yòu开始kāishǐ笑xiào我wǒ的de中文zhōngwén了le。
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Related Grammar

→“Again” in Chinese 1 — 再 zài(HSK 1) →“Again” in Chinese — 又 yòu, 再 zài, 还 hái, and 重 chóng

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