先 … ，再 … (first …, then …) · 先 … ，再 … (primero …, luego …)
A meal has an order of actions
- Before eating, someone tells you to wash your hands.
- 先洗手，再吃饭。 — The instruction puts washing before eating.
A meal has an order of actions
- Before eating, someone tells you to wash your hands.
- early先to wash one's hands洗手，again / then再to have a meal吃饭。 — The instruction puts washing before eating.
Before eating, someone tells you to wash your hands. What does 先洗手，再吃饭。 communicate?
The instruction puts washing before eating. 再 links the second step; it does not require a second meal. The sentence specifies order but not the exact delay between actions. 然后 can link later steps too.
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is 先 … ，再 … (first …, then …). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
first先wash hands洗手then，再eat吃。
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is early先 … ，again / then再 … (first …, then …). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
first先wash hands洗手then，再eat吃。
Using the lesson pattern in this demonstrated example: Complete: 先洗手,____ 吃。(Wash your hands first, then eat.)
先 + V1 ，再 + V2 — 先洗手,再吃.
Read examples in context
- In the opening example, 先洗手，再吃饭。: The instruction puts washing before eating.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
Read examples in context
- In the opening example, early先to wash one's hands洗手，again / then再to have a meal吃饭。: The instruction puts washing before eating.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
先 … 再 … expresses … · 先 … 再 … expresa …
Here 再 = “then” (next step), not “again.” · Aquí 再 = “luego” (siguiente paso), no “de nuevo.”
Build: “Do your homework first, then watch TV.” · Construye: “Haz tu tarea primero, luego mira la televisión.”
先 + V1 ，再 + V2: 先 + 做作业 + 再 + 看电视.
Know the boundary
- 再 links the second step; it does not require a second meal.
- The sentence specifies order but not the exact delay between actions. 然后 can link later steps too.
Know the boundary
- again / then再 links the second step; it does not require a second meal.
- The sentence specifies order but not the exact delay between actions. then / after然后 can link later steps too.
In 先 … 再 …, 再 means “again.” · En 先 … 再 …, 再 significa “de nuevo.”
In this pair 再 = “then,” the next step in a sequence. · En este par 再 = “luego”, el siguiente paso en una secuencia.
In the opening situation: The instruction puts washing before eating.
再 links the second step; it does not require a second meal. The sentence specifies order but not the exact delay between actions. 然后 can link later steps too. The instruction puts washing before eating.
Use the distinction
- The instruction puts washing before eating.
- 再 links the second step; it does not require a second meal. The sentence specifies order but not the exact delay between actions. 然后 can link later steps too.
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Adverbs.
Use the distinction
- The instruction puts washing before eating.
- again / then再 links the second step; it does not require a second meal. The sentence specifies order but not the exact delay between actions. then / after然后 can link later steps too.
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Adverbs.