再 vs 又 (again: future vs past)
Again and again — past or future?
- You already met again又 (again, in the past). Now meet its twin again / then再.
- Both mean "again" — the difference is time.
- Get the direction right and you'll never confuse them.
again又 = again, already done (past)
- again又 + Verb + (completed / change)了 — the repeat has already happened.
he他again又late迟到了。
- again又to arrive late迟到(completed / change)了 = "late again" (it happened) — again又 takes (completed / change)了.
Practice
Which says it ALREADY happened again?
又 (+ 了) = a past repeat; 再 = a future one (no 了).
Practice
Build: “He's late again.” (it happened)
又 + Verb + 了: 他 + 又 + 迟到了.
again / then再 = again, not yet (future)
- again / then再 + Verb — the repeat is planned / still to come, so no (completed / change)了.
tomorrow明天again再come来吧！
- tomorrow明天再来(suggestion)吧 = "come again tomorrow" — it hasn't happened, so no (completed / change)了.
Explore
Which word completes the sentence?
再 = again in the future (not yet happened); 又 = again in the past (already happened).
Practice
Future plan, no 了: 明天 ____ 来吧! (come again tomorrow)
再 marks a repeat not yet done (future), with no 了: 明天再来.
Practice
For something you plan to do again tomorrow, use 又.
Future repeat → 再 (明天再来). 又 is for a past repeat.
Recap
Key idea
- again又 = again, already happened (past) — takes (completed / change)了: again又to arrive late迟到(completed / change)了
- again / then再 = again, not yet (future) — no (completed / change)了: tomorrow明天again / then再to come来
- Wrong tense is the #1 trap: past → again又, future → again / then再
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Comparing adverbs.