▎後來, hòulái, (Adv), next in sequence

 

Function 然後(Adv), 後來(Adv) and 以後(Noun) all refer to an instance next to another in occurrence. See the table below about their compatibility with the reference of time.

 

	Past	Future
然後	✓	✓
後來	✓	×
以後	×	✓

1 我們先去台中玩了一天，然後去了墾丁。

Wǒmen xiān qù Táizhōng wánle yì tiān, ránhòu qùle Kěndīng.

We first visited Taichung for a day, and then we went to Kenting.

2 請你把菜洗一洗，然後開始煮湯！

Qǐng nǐ bǎ cài xǐ yì xǐ, ránhòu kāishǐ zhǔ tāng!

Please wash the vegetables, and then start cooking the soup.

3 我本來不想學太極拳，後來發現有趣得不得了，就去學了。

Wǒ běnlái bù xiǎng xué Tàijí quán, hòulái fāxiàn yǒuqù de bùdéliǎo, jiù qù xué le.

I originally had no interest in learning Tai Chi. Later, I discovered it was incredibly interesting, so I went and studied it.

4 我以為弟弟今天回國，後來才知道他明天才回來。

Wǒ yǐwéi dìdi jīntiān huíguó, hòulái cái zhīdào tā míngtiān cái huílái.

I thought my younger brother was coming home today. I didn’t know until later that he would not be back until tomorrow.

5 雖然現在我還不會騎腳踏車，可是以後一定能學會。

Suīrán xiànzài wǒ hái bú huì qí jiǎotàchē, kěshì yǐhòu yídìng néng xuéhuì.

Although I can’t ride a bike now, I will definitely be able to in the future.

6 今年我們去日本，以後再去越南。

Jīnnián wǒmen qù Rìběn, yǐhòu zài qù Yuènán.

This year, we’ll go to Japan. We’ll go to Vietnam later.

 

Structures

Questions：

1 你本來想去日月潭，後來怎麼沒去呢？

Nǐ běnlái xiǎng qù Rìyuètán, hòulái zěnme méi qù ne?

You originally were thinking of going to Sun Moon Lake. How come you didn’t later?

2 昨天你的錢包不見了，後來怎麼找到的？

Zuótiān nǐ de qiánbāo bújiàn le, hòulái zěnme zhǎodào de?

Yesterday, you lost your wallet. How did you find it later?

3 墾丁真的那麼浪漫嗎？值得你以後再去一趟啊？

Kěndīng zhēnde nàme làngmàn ma? Zhíde nǐ yǐhòu zài qù yí tàng a?

Is Kenting really that romantic? Would it be worth going again in the future?

4 學費越來越高了，我們的小孩以後會不會念不起大學？

Xuéfèi yuèláiyuè gāo le, wǒmen de xiǎohái yǐhòu huì bú huì niànbùqǐ dàxué?

With tuition steadily rising, I wonder if it will be affordable for our children to attend university in the future?

 

Usage

(1) Both 然後 and 後來 are adverbs and are used in similar situations. However, 然後 is used to connect two instances that take place consecutively, while 後來 indicates a lapse of time between two instances.

1 我們明天早上先去傳統市場買菜，然後再去超市買水果。

Wǒmen míngtiān zǎoshàng xiān qù chuántǒng shìchǎng mǎi cài, ránhòu zài qù chāoshì mǎi shuǐguǒ.

Tomorrow morning let’s first go to the traditional market to buy vegetables, and then to the supermarket for fruit.

2 我們昨天早上去傳統市場買菜，後來又去超市買水果。

Wǒmen zuótiān zǎoshàng qù chuántǒng shìchǎng mǎi cài, hòulái yòu qù chāoshì mǎi shuǐguǒ.

Yesterday morning we first went to the traditional market to buy vegetables, and then to the supermarket for fruit.

(2) Also note that 以後 can also be used to connect two instances, either in the past or in the future.

1 白小姐到了臺灣以後，就沒回過國。

Bái xiǎojiě dàole Táiwān yǐhòu, jiù méi huíguò guó.

Miss Bai hasn’t gone back to her home country ever since she came to Taiwan.

2 你們到了韓國以後，要打電話給我。

Nǐmen dàole Hánguó yǐhòu, yào dǎ diànhuà gěi wǒ.

Call me after you arrive in Korea.