语法 · HSK 2–3
以后 (yǐhòu) vs 后来 (hòulái): "after" and "later"
以后 works for both the past and the future, either after an event (下课以后 "after class") or on its own for "in the future" (我以后想当老师). 后来 is only used on its own for the past, telling what happened later in a story: 起初我不习惯，后来慢慢习惯了. Never use 后来 for the future or after a verb phrase.
句型Patterns
Action / Time + 以后，…"After …" (past or future): 吃完饭以后, 两年以后.以后 + Subject + Verb (future)"In the future / from now on": 以后别迟到了.Clause 1 (past)，后来 + Clause 2 (past)"Later on (in the past)": 后来他去了北京.
例句Examples
- 毕业以后你想做什么工作？bì yè yǐ hòu nǐ xiǎng zuò shén me gōng zuò?What work do you want to do after graduating?
- 我以后再也不去那家饭馆了。wǒ yǐ hòu zài yě bú qù nà jiā fàn guǎn le.I'll never go to that restaurant again in the future.
- 刚开始我听不懂，后来慢慢听懂了。gāng kāi shǐ wǒ tīng bù dǒng, hòu lái màn màn tīng dǒng le.At first I couldn't understand, and later I gradually understood.
常见错误Common mistakes
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✗我下课后来去图书馆。
✓我下课以后去图书馆。
To say "after [something]", put 以后 after the phrase; 后来 cannot follow a phrase.
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✗我后来想学开车。
✓我以后想学开车。
Future plans use 以后; 后来 is strictly for past events.
重点词语Words in this guide
Common questions
What about 然后 (ránhòu)?
然后 means "and then (next in a sequence)": 先洗手，然后吃饭. Unlike 后来, 然后 works for both past and future steps.