First and then in Chinese

Grammar Point:
The grammar structure 先 xiān…再 zài… in Chinese is used to express a sequence of actions or events, indicating that one action or event happens before another.

1. 先 xiān: This means “first” or “before.” It indicates that the action or event following it should happen first in the sequence.
2. 再 zài: This means “then” or “next.” It indicates that the action or event following it happens after the action or event mentioned before 先 xiān.

Structure

(S) 先 VO，(S) 再 VO

Remember to place the subject before 再 zài, and when the two subjects are the same, you can drop the second one.

先xiān洗手xǐshǒu， 再zài吃飯chīfàn先xiān洗手xǐshǒu， 再zài吃饭chīfàn
Wash your hands first, then eat.

先xiān脫tuō鞋xié， 再zài進來jìnlái先xiān脱tuō鞋xié， 再zài进来jìnlái
Take off your shoes first, then come in.

客人kèrén先xiān付錢fùqián， 再zài吃飯chīfàn客人kèrén先xiān付钱fùqián， 再zài吃饭chīfàn
The guests should pay first, then eat.

你nǐ應該yīnggāi先xiān學xué一點yìdiǎn中文zhōngwén， 再來zàilái台灣Táiwān旅遊lǚyóu你nǐ应该yīnggāi先xiān学xué点儿diǎnr汉语hànyǔ， 再来zàilái台湾Táiwān旅游lǚyóu
You should learn some Chinese first before coming to travel in Taiwan.

我wǒ晚上wǎnshàng先xiān回家huíjiā吃飯chīfàn， 再zài去qù電影院diànyǐngyuàn見jiàn你nǐ我wǒ晚上wǎnshang先xiān回家huíjiā吃饭chīfàn， 再zài去qù电影院diànyǐngyuàn见jiàn你nǐ
I’ll go home and have dinner first in the evening, then go to the cinema to meet you.

老師lǎoshī先xiān說shuō一次yícì， 學生xuéshēng再zài說shuō一次yícì老师lǎoshī先xiān说shuō一次yícì， 学生xuésheng再zài说shuō一次yícì
The teacher says it first, then the students say it again.

爸爸bàba先xiān給gěi哥哥gēge10 塊kuài錢qián， 哥哥gēge再zài給gěi弟弟dìdi1 塊kuài錢qián爸爸bàba先xiān给gěi哥哥gēge10 块kuài钱qián， 哥哥gēge再zài给gěi弟弟dìdi1 块kuài钱qián
Dad gives 10 yuan to the older brother first, then the older brother gives 1 yuan to the younger brother.

他們tāmen是shì先xiān上車shàngchē再zài補票bǔpiào他们tāmen是shì先xiān上车shàngchē再zài补票bǔpiào
They board the vehicle first and then purchase the ticket.
OR They had a shotgun wedding.

FYI
Instead of saying 先上車再補票先上车再补票 xiān shàngchē zài bǔpiào, Chinese actually has a phrase 先上車後補票先上车后补票 xiān shàngchē hòu bǔpiào which is used metaphorically to describe a situation where a couple has children or becomes pregnant before getting married, and then decides to get married afterward due to factors such as moral responsibility, societal pressure, or saving face.

Other way to express the order

1st, 2nd, 3ed

第一dìyī、 第二dìèr、 第三dìsān第一dìyī， 第二dìèr， 第三dìsān

First of all

首先shǒuxiān首先shǒuxiān

Next

接下來jiēxiàlái、 再來zàilái、 接著jiēzhe接下来jiēxiàlái， 再来zàilái， 接着jiēzhe

And then

然後ránhòu、 再zài然后ránhòu， 再zài

Finally

最後zuìhòu最后zuìhòu

我們wǒmen明天míngtiān早上zǎoshàng先xiān去qù買mǎi禮物lǐwù， 然後ránhòu去qù奶奶nǎinai家jiā一起yìqǐ吃飯chīfàn， 接著jiēzhù和hàn奶奶nǎinai去qù公園gōngyuán散步sànbù， 再zài去qù超市chāoshì買mǎi菜cài， 最後zuìhòu回家huíjiā我们wǒmen明天míngtiān早上zǎoshang先xiān去qù买mǎi礼物lǐwù， 然后ránhòu去qù奶奶nǎinai家jiā一起yìqǐ吃饭chīfàn， 接着jiēzhe和hé奶奶nǎinai去qù公园gōngyuán散步sànbù， 再zài去qù超市chāoshì买mǎi菜cài， 最后zuìhòu回家huíjiā
We’ll first go buy gifts tomorrow morning, then go to grandma’s house to have a meal together. Next, we go for a walk in the park with grandma, then go to the supermarket to buy groceries, and finally go back home.

台灣Táiwān有yǒu三個sānge有名yǒumíng的de食物shíwù。 第一dìyī是shì珍珠奶茶zhēnzhūnǎichá。 第二dìèr是shì牛肉麵niúròumiàn。 第三dìsān是shì臭豆腐chòudòufǔ。 台湾Táiwān有yǒu三个sānge有名yǒumíng的de食物shíwù。 第一dìyī是shì珍珠奶茶zhēnzhūnǎichá。 第二dìèr是shì牛肉面niúròumiàn。 第三dìsān是shì臭豆腐chòudòufu。
In Taiwan, there are three famous foods. The first one is bubble milk tea. The second one is beef noodles. The third one is stinky tofu.

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ I eat first, you eat later.

我wǒ先xiān吃chī， 你nǐ再zài吃chī我wǒ先xiān吃chī， 你nǐ再zài吃chī

✔️ My sister wants to watch TV before she does her homework.

妹妹mèimei想xiǎng先xiān看kàn電視diànshì再zài寫xiě功課gōngkè妹妹mèimei想xiǎng先xiān看kàn电视diànshì再zài写xiě功课gōngkè

✔️ You say Chinese is easy 10 times first, then I will teach you Chinese.

你nǐ先xiān說shuō十次shícì中文zhōngwén很hěn簡單jiǎndān， 我wǒ再zài教jiāo你nǐ中文zhōngwén你nǐ先xiān说shuō十次shícì中文zhōngwén很hěn简单jiǎndān， 我wǒ再zài教jiāo你nǐ中文zhōngwén