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"After" / "later": yǐhòu 以后 vs. ránhòu 然后
When you say that someone will do something and then afterward/later will do something else in the future, or that someone generally does something and then afterward/later does something else, you can either use yǐhòu 以后 or ránhòu 然后 for "after that" / "afterward" / "later."
HOWEVER, depending on which of the two expressions you use, the structure of the sentence will be different:
After she goes to class, she'll go to work.
Tā xià le kè yǐhòu jiù huì qù gōngzuò.
她下了课以后就会去工作。
OR:
She's in class right now, and afterward will go work.
Tā xiànzài zhèngzài shàngkè, ránhòu tā huì qù gōngzuò.
她现在正在上课，然后她会去工作。
You cannot use hòulái 后来, which is only used for actions in the past.
✖ BC: Tā xiànzài zhèngzài shàngkè, hòulái tā huì qù gōngzuò.
她现在正在上课, 后来她会去工作。
Every evening they watch TV, and after that, they go to bed.
✔ CC: Tāmen měitiān wǎnshang kànle diànshì yǐhòu jiù shàngchuáng.
他们每天晚上看了电视以后就上床。
了 is used here because you're really saying: "Having watched TV, they then go to bed.”
OR:
✔ CC: Tāmen měitiān wǎnshang kàn diànshì, ránhòu jiù shàngchuáng.
他们每天晚上看电视，然后就上床。
了 is NOT used here because you're saying: "They watch TV, and after that, they go to bed."
✖ BC: Tāmen měitiān wǎnshang kàn diànshì, hòulái jiù shàngchuáng.
他们每天晚上看电视，后来就上床。
HOWEVER, there is a difference between the use of yǐhòu 以后 and ránhòu 然后. Ránhòu 然后 always implies that one action logically or naturally follows the other, whereas yǐhòu 以后 can be used even with two actions that are not necessarily a logical or natural sequence. As a result, ránhòu 然后 cannot be used with a negative clause: He's working at a factory this year, but afterward, he doesn’t plan to work there anymore.
✔ CC: Tā jīnnián zài gōngchǎnglǐ gōngzuò, kěshì yǐhòu tā bùdǎsuan zài nèr gōngzuò le.
他今年在工厂里工作，可是以后他不打算在那儿工作了。
✖ BC: Tā jīnnián zài gōngchǎnglǐ gōngzuò, kěshì ránhòu tā bùdǎsuan zài nèr gōngzuò le.
他今年在工厂里工作，可是然后他不打算在那儿工作了。
★ 然后 is a Conjunction, and it can be used in a complex sentence, and applied to the future or past.
✔ Tāmen zhōu mò jìhuà xiān dá lánqiú, ránhòu zài kànshū.
他们周末计划先打篮球，然后再看书。
They plan to play basketball first on the weekends and then read a book.
✔ Tāmen zuótiān xiān dá lánqiú, ránhòu zài kànshū.
他们昨天先打篮球，然后再看书。
They played basketball yesterday and then read a book.
★ 以后 is a Noun, and it can form a phrase with a verb.
✔ Chīfàn yǐhòu, tāmen yào qù kànshū.
吃饭以后，他们要去看书。
After dinner, they are going to read.
✔ Cóngcǐ yǐhòu, tā jiù àishàng le kànshū.
从此以后，他就爱上了看书。
From then on, he loved reading.Welcome to Beijing TaxiHow to Express the Verb “Can” in Chinese (A Huge Can of Worms!)
How to translate “can” depends on its meaning.
To express “can”/“know how to,” use huì 会:
I can/know how to speak Chinese.
Wǒ huì shuō Hànyǔ.
我会说汉语。
I can/know how to play the piano.
Wǒ huì tán gāngqín.
我会弹钢琴。
To express “can”/”able to” (physically), use néng 能:
I’m very strong and can do mountain climbing.
Wǒ hěn zhuàng, wǒ néng páshān.
我很壮，我能爬山。
I have a heart condition and can’t run.
Wǒ yǒu xīnzàngbìng, bùnéng pǎo.
我有心脏病，不能跑。
THEREFORE:
My little brother is eight months old. He can’t speak.
Wǒ xiǎo dìdi bāge yuè, búhuì shuōhuà.
我小弟弟八个月，不会说话。
BUT:
My little sister is a deaf-mute. She can’t speak.
Wǒ mèimei shì lóngyǎ rén, tā bù néng shuōhuà.
我妹妹是聋哑人，她不能说话。
To express “can”/“may”/”are permitted to,” use kěyǐ 可以:
We can/may/are permitted to speak Chinese in Chinese class; we may not speak English.
Zài shàng Hànyǔ kè shí, wǒmen kěyǐ shuō Hànyǔ, bùkěyǐ shuō Yīngyǔ.
在上汉语课时，我们可以说汉语，不可以说英语。
Use resultative endings to express “can” and “can’t.” There are many verbs in Chinese that do not use huì 会 or néng 能 to express the ability to do something. Rather, according to what type of verb they are, many of them take a special resultative ending to express the idea of “can”/ “able to.” Below is a list of the most commonly used of these types of verbs: Verbs of Senses: -jiàn 见 or -dào 到
can see
kàndejiàn or kàndedào
看得见 or 看得到
can’t see
kànbujiàn or kànbudào
看不见 or 看不到
can hear
tīngdejiàn or tīngdedào
听得见 or 听得到
can’t hear
tīngbujiàn or tīngbudào
听不见 or 听不到
can smell
wéndejiàn or wéndedào
闻得见 or 闻得到
can’t smell
wénbujiàn or wénbudào
闻不见 or 闻不到
BUT:
can taste
✔ CC: chángdedào 尝得到
✖ BC: chángdejiàn 尝得见
can’t taste
chángbudào
尝不到
AND:
can touch/feel
✔ CC: mōdedào 摸得到
✖ BC: mōdejiàn 摸得见
can’t touch/feel
mōbudào
摸不到
To express “can or can’t understand by ____ing,” use - dǒng -懂:
can understand (by reading)
kàndedǒng
看得懂
can’t understand
kànbudǒng
看不懂
can understand (by listening)
tīngdedǒng
听得懂
can’t understand
tīngbudǒng
听不懂
To express “___ clearly,” use -qīngchu 清楚:
can see clearly
kàndeqīngchu
看得清楚
can’t see clearly
kànbuqīngchu
看不清楚
can hear clearly
tīngdeqīngchu
听得清楚
can’t hear clearly
tīngbuqīngchu
听不清楚
To express successful completion of an action, use -zháo 着 or -dào 到:
can find
zhǎodezháo or zhǎodedào
找得着 or 找得到
can’t find
zhǎobuzháo or zhǎobudào
找不着 or 找不到
can buy
mǎidezháo or mǎidedào
买得着 or 买得到
can’t buy (because not available)
mǎibuzháo or mǎibudào
买不着 or 买不到
To express the ability to do something physical, use -liǎo 了:
can carry
nádeliǎo
拿得了
can’t carry
nábuliǎo
拿不了
can say (physically able to say)
shuōdeliǎo
说得了
can’t say
shuōbuliǎo
说不了
To express “can afford to,” use -qǐ 起:
can afford to buy
mǎideqǐ
买得起
can’t afford to buy
mǎibuqǐ
买不起
can afford to pay
fùdeqǐ
付得起
can’t afford to pay
fùbuqǐ
付不起
can afford to face someone (figuratively)
duìdeqǐ
对得起
can’t afford to face someone (because you’ve done something shameful)
duìbuqǐ
对不起
To express “can ___ up,” use -qǐlái 起来:
can pick up
nádeqǐlái
拿得起来
can’t pick up
nábuqǐlái
拿不起来
can pull up
lādeqǐlái
拉得起来
can’t pull up
lābuqǐlái
拉不起来
can stand up
zhàndeqǐlái
站得起来
can’t stand up
zhànbuqǐlái
站不起来
To express “can ___ out,” use -chūlái 出来:
can take out
nádechūlái
拿得出来
can’t take out
nábuchūlái
拿不出来
can speak out
shuōdechūlái
说得出来
can’t speak out
shuōbuchūlái
说不出来
To express “keep/remain ___ in,” use -zhù 住:
can hold on to
nádezhù
拿得住
can’t hold on to
nábuzhù
拿不住
can keep standing
zhàndezhù
站得住
can’t keep standing;
zhànbuzhù
站不住
To express “can finish doing something,” use -wán 完:
can finish doing something
zuòdewán
做得完
can finish speaking/saying
something shuōdewán
说得完
To negate all these, replace de 得 with bu 不, as in previous examples.
To express “to ___ up(stairs),” use shànglái 上来 or shàngqu 上去:
to walk up(stairs) [to where the speaker currently is]
zǒushàng(lóu)lái
走上 (楼) 来
to walk up(stairs) [away from where the speaker is]
zǒushàng(lóu)qù
走上 (楼) 去
to run up(stairs) [to where the speaker is]
pǎoshàng(lóu)lái
跑上 (楼) 来
to run up(stairs) [away from where the speaker is]
pǎoshàng (lóu) qù
跑上 (楼) 去
To express “to ____ down(stairs),” use xiàlái 下来 or xiàqu下去:
to walk down(stairs) [to where the speaker is]
zǒuxià (lóu) lái
走下 (楼) 来
to walk down(stairs) [away from the speaker]
zǒuxià (lóu) qù
走下 (楼) 去“To be a . . . (profession, friend, etc.)”: differences between shì 是, dāng 当, and zuò 做
Shì 是 is simply the verb “to be”:
She is a doctor.
Tā shì yīsheng.
她是医生。
They are my friends.
Tāmen shì wǒde péngyou.
他们是我的朋友
Dāng 当 is “to be” in the sense of “to serve as,” and is always followed by a certain profession or official position:
She is a doctor at that hospital.
Tā zài nàge yīyuàn dāng yīsheng.
她在那个医院当医生。
He is (serving as) the head of the English Department:
Ta dāng Yīngyǔxì de xìzhǔrèn.
他当英语系的系主任。
Zuò 做 as “to be” is less formal than dāng 当 and is broader in meaning. It can refer to being something other than the holder of a profession or office, such as “to be a parent” or “to be a brother/sister”:
Anyone who is an older brother or sister ought to take of their younger siblings.
Zuò gēge jiějie de yīnggāi zhàogu dìdi mèimei.
做哥哥姐姐的应该照顾弟弟妹妹。Past tense
For action verbs, from eating and sleeping to walking, running, or even studying: add le 了:
I went.
Wǒ qù le.
我去了。
I ate.
Wǒ chīfàn le.
我吃饭了。
I slept.
Wǒ shuìjiào le.
我睡觉了。
Non-action verbs (feelings) are no different from present tense; don’t add le 了. Non-action verbs of thought, feeling, and emotion, and verbs of knowing and informing include everything from “like” and “love” to “think,” “feel,” “understand,” “know,” “ask,” “tell,” etc.:
I liked him.
✔ CC: Wǒ xǐhuān tā.
我喜欢他。
✖ BC: Wǒ xǐhuān tā le.
我喜欢他了。
I came to like him.
Ten years ago I liked white clothing.
✔ CC: Wǒ shíniánqián xǐhuān báisède yīfu.
我十年前喜欢白色的衣服。
✖ BC: Wǒ shíniánqián xǐhuān le báisède yīfu.
我十年前喜欢了白色的衣服。
I loved her.
Wǒ ài tā.
我爱她。
I wanted to buy it.
Wǒ yào mǎi.
我要买。
Non-action verbs used to express asking or telling are exceptions to this rule IF they have a simple direct object:
I asked her something.
Wǒ wèn le tā yíjiàn shì.
我问了她一件事。
BUT:
Yesterday I asked her if she wanted to go shopping with me today.
Zuótiān wǒ wèn tā xiǎng bùxiǎng jīntiān hé wǒ yìqǐ qù mǎi dōngxi.
昨天我问她想不想今天和我一起去买东西。Family | 家庭
1. Paternal grandfather 爷爷 yéye
2. Paternal grandmother 奶奶 năinai
3. Maternal grandfather 老爷 lăoye
4. Maternal grandmother 姥姥 lăolao
5. Aunt (father’s sister) 姑姑 gūgu
6. Uncle (father’s older brother) 伯伯 bóbo
7. Uncle (father’s younger brother) 叔叔 shūshu
8. Parents 父母 fùmŭ
9. Father 爸爸 / 父亲 bàba / fùqin
10. Mother 妈妈 / 母亲 māma / mŭqin
11. Uncle (mother’s brother) 舅舅 jiùjiu
12. Aunt (mother’s sister) 姨妈 yímā
13. Father-in-law (husband’s father) 公 公 gōnggong
14. Mother-in-law (husband’s mother) 婆婆 pópo
15. Older brother 哥哥 gēge
16. Eldest sister 姐姐 jiĕjie
17. Son-in-law 女婿 nǚxu
18. Daughter 女儿 nǚ’ér
19. Son 儿子 érzi
20. Daughter in law 儿媳妇儿 érxífur
21. Grandson (daughter’s son) 外孙子 wàisūnzi
22. Grandson (daughter of daughter) 外孙女 wàisūnnü
23. Granddaughter (child’s daughter) 孙女 sūnnü
24. Grandson (son of son) 孙子 sūnzi
25. Father-in-law (wife’s father) 丈人 zhàngren
26. Mother-in-law (woman’s mother) 丈母娘 zhàngmuniáng
27. Younger sister 妹妹 mèimei
28. Younger brother 弟弟 dìdi
29. Spouse 爱人 àirenThe use of hòulái 后来 vs. ránhòu 然后
When you say that someone did something in the past and after that or later did something else, or that someone regularly did something in the past and after that or later did something else, use either hòulái 后来 or ránhòu 然后.
Unlike yǐhòu 以后, neither can be used after the verb in the first clause, but must be placed at the beginning of the second clause.
Mr. Wang taught Chinese in college for twenty years, and after that retired.
✔ CC: Wáng Xiānsheng zài dàxué jiāole èrshíniánde Hànyǔ, hòulái jiù tuìxiū le.
王先生在大学教了二十年的汉语，后来就退休了。
✖ BC: Wáng Xiānsheng zài dàxué jiāole èrshíniánde Hànyǔ, ránhòu jiù tuìxiū le.
王先生在大学教了二十年的汉语，然后就退休了。
This is BC unless you mean that it logically follows that after teaching anything for twenty years, everyone retires — by law or custom, etc.
They dated for over two years, and afterward, they got married.
✔ CC: Tāmen tánle liǎngniánduō de lián-ài, hòulái jiù jiéhūn le.
他们谈了两年多的恋爱，后来就结婚了。
✖ BC: Tāmen tánle liǎngniánduō de lián-ài, ránhòu jiù jiéhūn le.
他们谈了两年多的恋爱，然后就结婚了。
This is BC unless you assume that dating always logically ends in marriage, which we know is painfully not the case!
HOWEVER, just as when it’s used in the future tense, ránhòu 然后 cannot be used with a negative clause with the past tense either, since ránhòu 然后 always implies a logical
the sequence of events.
My father smoked for twenty years, but afterward, he didn’t smoke anymore.
✔ CC: Wǒ fùqin chōule èrshínián de yān, kěshì hòulái tā bùchōu le.
我父亲抽了二十年的烟，可是后来他不抽了。
✖ BC: Wǒ fùqin chōule èrshínián de yān, kěshì ránhòu tā bùchōu le.
我父亲抽了二十年的烟，可是然后他不抽了。
Finally, no matter what the tense, you can always use yǐhòu 以后 after the verb in the first clause to mean “after” doing something or someone did, does, or will do something else:
After she goes to class, she’ll go to work.
Tā xià le kè yǐhòu jiù huì qù gōngzuò.
她下了课以后就会去工作。
Every evening after they watch TV, they go to bed.
Tāmen měitiān wǎnshang kànle diànshì yǐhòu jiù shàngchuáng.
他们每天晚上看了电视以后就上床。
After she went to class, she went to work.
Tā xiàle kè yǐhòu jiù qù gōngzuò le.
她下了课以后就去工作了。
Every evening after they watched TV, they went to bed.
Tāmen měitiān wǎnshang kànle diànshì yǐhòu jiù shàngchuáng le.
他们每天晚上看了电视以后就上床了。
In NONE of the four examples above would you use ránhòu 然后 using the same sentence structure.
After eating dinner, they want to go see a movie.
✔ CC: Chīle wǎnfàn yǐhòu, tāmen jiù yào qù kàn diànyǐng .
吃了晚饭以后，他们就要去看电影。
✖ BC: Chīle wǎnfàn ránhòu, tāmen jiù yào qù kàn diànyǐng.
吃了晚饭然后，他们就要去看电影。“To want/would like (to do something)”: xiǎng 想 vs. yào 要 vs. xiǎngyào 想要
When you say you want something, whether a concrete object like a car or something abstract like friendship, you cannot use xiǎng 想. When the word “want” is followed by a noun, you must use either yào 要 or xiǎngyào 想要.
I’d like a bottle of beer.
✔ CC: Wǒ yào yìpíng píjiǔ.
我要一瓶啤酒。
OR:
✔ CC: Wǒ xiǎngyào yìpíng píjiǔ.
我想要一瓶啤酒。
✖ BC: Wǒ xiǎng yìpíng píjiǔ.
我想一瓶啤酒。
I am thinking of a bottle of beer” rather than thinking of anything else!
She wants a handsome boyfriend.
✔ CC: Tā yào yíge yīngjùnde nánpéngyou.
她要一个英俊的男朋友。
OR:
✔ CC: Tā xiǎngyào yíge yīngjùnde nánpéngyou.
她想要一个英俊的男朋友。
✖ BC: Tā xiǎng yíge yīngjùnde nánpéngyou.
她想一个英俊的男朋友。
She is thinking of a handsome boyfriend.
BUT, when you want or would like to do something, i.e., when the word “want” is followed by a verb, you may use xiǎng 想 as a softer, more polite way to say yào 要:
I’d like to drink a bottle of beer.
Wǒ xiǎng hē yìpíng píjiǔ.
我想喝一瓶啤酒。
She’d like to find a handsome boyfriend.
Tā xiǎng zhǎo yíge yīngjùnde nánpéngyou.
她想找一个英俊的男朋友。
ALSO, be aware that when you use yào 要 to tell someone you want something, it is tantamount to a direct command. You may say to a waiter:
I want (a) broccoli beef.
Wǒ yào yíge jièlán niúròu.
我要一个芥兰牛肉 。
BUT it would soften your wishes and be more polite to say:
I would like (a) broccoli beef.
Wǒ xiǎngyào yíge jièlán niúròu.
我想要一个芥兰牛肉 。The word “it” is usually implied by the verb
Unlike in English, the word “it” is rarely used in Chinese but is implied by the verb:
I saw it.
Wǒ kànjiàn le.
我看见了。
I bought it.
Wǒ mǎi le.
我买了。
You cannot use “it,” tā 它, to refer to the date or time:
It’s Friday (today).
✔ CC: Jīntiān shì xīngqīwǔ.
今天是星期五。
(NOTE: in Chinese, the word “today” is needed.)
✖ BC: Tā shì xīngqīwǔ jīntiān.
它是星期五今天。
It’s the first of June (today).
✔ CC: Jīntiān shì liùyùe yíhào.
今天是六月一号。
✖ BC: Tā shì liùyùe yíhào jīntiān.
它是六月一号今天。
You cannot use tā 它 to refer to the weather: It’s raining.
✔ CC: Xiàyǔ le.
下雨了。
✖ BC: Tā xiàyǔ.
它下雨。
Literally: It is raining.
You cannot use tā 它 in sentences like “It’s mine” or “It’s his.” Instead, use “this” zhè 这 or “that” nà 那：
It’s mine.
Zhè (nà) shì wǒde.
这 (那)是我的。
You cannot use tā 它 when referring to an abstract thing or event:
It’s a good idea.
Nà shì yíge hǎo zhǔyi.
那是一个好主意。
It doesn’t matter.
Méiyǒu guānxi.
没有关系。
It’s very hard to talk with him.
Hěn nán gēn tā duìhuà.
很难跟他对话。
This is equally true when “it” is used as a direct object to refer to abstract things:
Maybe he has been reformed, but I doubt it.
Yěxǔ tā gǎiguò zìxīn le, dànshi wǒ hěn huáiyí.
也许他改过自新了，但是我很怀疑。
You cannot use tā 它 when stating who someone is, in sentences like “It’s me” or “It’s Mary”:
It’s me.
✔ CC: Shì wǒ.
是我。
✖ BC: Tā shì wǒ.
它是我。
You cannot use tā 它 when “it” is used in English to refer to human beings, like a child:
This is a rite of passage that every child has to go through as it grows up.
Zhè shì měi yíge háizi zài chéngzhǎng guòchéng zhōng bìxū jīngguò de.
这是每一个孩子在成长过程中必须经过的。
If you use “it” as a direct object referring to a place, you cannot use tā 它. Instead, use zhèlǐ 这里 or nàlǐ 那里：
I like it here.
Wǒ xǐhuān zhèlǐ.
我喜欢这里。
There are only two cases where “it” in English can be translated as tā 它 in Chinese:
(a) Tā 它 can be used to refer to animals
There is a cat over there. It has black fur.
Nàbiān yǒu yìzhī māo. Tā yǒu hēisède máo.
那边有一只猫。它有黑色的毛。
(b) Tā 它 can be used for direct objects with the bǎ 把 pattern
“Where is my book?” “I put it on the table.”
“Wǒde shū zai nǎlǐ?” “Wǒ bǎ tā fàngzài zhuōzi shàng le.”
“我的书在哪里?” “我把它放在桌子上了。”
When the bǎ 把 pattern is not used, however, you cannot use tā 它 to refer to the direct object:
a room without furniture in it
yíge méiyǒu jiāju de fángjiān
一个没有家具的房间The shì . . . de 是 . . . 的 pattern for past tense actions Use the shì . . . de 是 . . . 的 pattern to emphasize when, how, or where something happened IN THE PAST, or who did it:
I came yesterday (not today).
Wǒ shì zuótiān lái de.
我是昨天来的。
I came by boat (not by plane).
Wǒ shì zuò chuán lái de.
我是坐船来的。
I was born in Beijing.
Wǒ shì zài Běijīng chūshēng de.
我是在北京出生的。
It was I who did it (not someone else).
Nà shì wǒ zuò de.
那是我做的。