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先 … ，再 … (first …, then …)
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A three-step plan
- You are explaining to a new colleague how to set up their work account.
- you你first先to fill or stuff填this这张表，then再to go去personnel office人事部，then / after然后neck领computer电脑。 — "First fill in this form, then go to HR, and after that collect your computer."
first先 A，then再 B (，then / after然后 C)
- first先…then再… orders steps that are still to come: plans, instructions, suggestions.
- Add then / after然后 or final最后 for longer sequences: first先…then再…then / after然后…final最后….
we我们first先have a look看看，then再decide决定。
Complete: “Let's have a look first, then decide.” 我们先看看，____决定。
Difficulty 1/5 · 100 coins + a small bonus on first completion today
先 A，再 B for future steps.
first先…deal with再说: deal with it later
- first先eat吃饭，other别的things事later以后deal with再说。 — "Let's eat first; we can talk about the rest later."
- deal with再说 here postpones a decision until the first step is done.
first先eat吃饭，other别的things事later以后deal with再说。
Build: “Let's eat first; we can talk about the rest later.”
Difficulty 3/5 · 200 coins + a small bonus on first completion today
先 + step, 以后再说 postpones the rest.
Future steps only
- For a past sequence, use first先…then / after然后… with (completed / change)了: I / me我first先to go去(completed / change)了bank银行，then / after然后to go去(completed / change)了supermarket (abbr. for 超级市场)超市.
- first先 and then再 are adverbs: each comes after the subject, before its verb: I / me我first先leave走，you你then再leave走.
先…再… is the usual way to describe what you did yesterday.
Difficulty 1/5 · 100 coins + a small bonus on first completion today
Past sequences use 先…然后… with 了.
then再 = only then
- then再 can mean "not until (the first step is done)": wait until等the rain雨stop停(completed / change)了then再leave走。 — "Wait until the rain stops before you leave."
- wait until等…then再… is a very common pattern for "wait until … then …".
wait until等the rain雨stop停了then再leave走。
Which says “Wait until the rain stops before you leave”?
Difficulty 1/5 · 100 coins + a small bonus on first completion today
等 + condition + 再 + action.
Recap
- first先 A，then再 B = first A, then B, for future steps; extend with then / after然后 / final最后.
- first先…deal with再说 = deal with it later; wait until等…then再… = wait until … then. Past sequences use first先…then / after然后… + (completed / change)了.
Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Adverbs.
You are explaining to a new colleague how to set up their work account. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.