NounsHSK 4
Sequencing past events with 后来
后来 means 'afterwards' or 'later' and is used to connect two past events in sequence. It always appears after the first event and before the second; note that it cannot be used for events that have not yet happened.
Structure
Past Event 1 ，后来 ，Past Event 2
Later events only; not for future sequences.
Examples
- 他说他会来，后来又说不来了。Tā shuō tā huì lái, hòulái yòu shuō bù lái le.He said he would come, but later he said that he's not coming.
- 他以前是厨师，后来当了老板。Tā yǐqián shì chúshī, hòulái dāng le lǎobǎn.He used to be a chef. Afterwards, he became the owner.
- 开始我父母不同意，后来他们同意了。Kāishǐ wǒ fùmǔ bù tóngyì, hòulái tāmen tóngyì le.My parents disapproved in the beginning, but they approved later.
- 他们在一起差不多三年，后来分手了。Tāmen zài yīqǐ chàbuduō sān nián, hòulái fēnshǒu le.They had been together for about three years. But they broke up afterwards.
- 北京以前叫北平，后来改成了北京。Běijīng yǐqián jiào Běipíng, hòulái gǎi chéng le Běijīng.Beijing used to be called Beiping. Later, the name was changed to Beijing.