又 vs 也 (yòu vs yě): additive adverbs “again” and “also”
又 (yòu) indicates repetition of a past action (“again”) or the coexistence of two qualities in the fixed structure 又…又… (“both…and…”). 也 (yě) simply means “also” or “too” and adds a new element to a statement. Learners often confuse them when trying to use parallel structures: 又…又… is correct for stacking attributes, while 也…也… is not a standard pattern.
Both 又 and 也 are additive adverbs, but they serve different functions. 又 is used for repetition of an action that occurred before (e.g., “do something again”) and, in the pattern 又…又…, to express two simultaneous qualities or actions. 也 means “also, too” and simply adds an item or state to a previous statement. The parallel structure 又…又… is fixed for “both…and…”; using 也…也… is ungrammatical in that sense. Understanding this distinction prevents common errors when translating “also” or “again”.
When to use each
Use 又 to indicate that an action is repeated (often after it has already happened once). Also use it in the structure 又…又… to describe two attributes or actions that coexist simultaneously (e.g., 又便宜又好吃 'both cheap and delicious'). It can also link two sequential past actions (e.g., 他吃了饭又去睡觉 'He ate and then went to sleep').
When used for ‘again’, 又 typically implies that the repetition has already occurred (often in the past) and is viewed as fact. For future repetition, use 再 (zài) instead.
Use 也 to add a new element or fact that is true in the same way as something previously stated. It appears after the subject and before the verb or adjective (e.g., 我也喜欢喝茶 'I also like drinking tea'). It can be used in parallel structures like 既…也… to mean ‘both…and…’, but 也…也… is not a standard pattern for simultaneous qualities.
也 can also mean ‘even’ when used after 连 (lián) in a 连…也… structure, but this is a separate usage.
At a glance
| 又 | 也 | |
|---|---|---|
| Core meaning | Repetition or simultaneous coexistence | Addition ('also, too') |
| Parallel structure for 'both...and...' | 又…又… (standard, for two qualities) | 既…也… (standard; 也…也… is not used) |
| Negation | 没(有)又… (negates repetition, rare; often 没再…) | 也不… (also not; e.g., 他也不去 'he also doesn't go') |
| Temporal focus | Often past or factual repetition | No inherent time reference |
Examples
- 又他又迟到了。Tā yòu chídào le.He is late again.Repetition of a past action (being late).
- 又这个手机又便宜又好看。Zhège shǒujī yòu piányi yòu hǎokàn.This phone is both cheap and good-looking.Parallel structure 又…又… for simultaneous qualities.
- 又他吃了饭又去打球了。Tā chīle fàn yòu qù dǎ qiú le.He ate and then went to play ball.Linking two sequential past actions.
- 也我也想去。Wǒ yě xiǎng qù.I also want to go.Adding a subject with the same desire.
- 也他既聪明也努力。Tā jì cōngming yě nǔlì.He is both smart and hardworking.Standard parallel structure with 既…也…; note this uses 也, not 又.
- 也他不去，我也不去。Tā bù qù, wǒ yě bù qù.He is not going, and I am not going either.也 in negative context meaning 'either'.
Common mistakes
- Using 也 for repeated actions: ✗ 我也看了一遍 (should be 又 for 'again' — 我又看了一遍).
- Using 也…也… for 'both...and...': ✗ 她也漂亮也聪明 (incorrect — use 又…又… or 既…也…).
- Using 又 for simple 'also' in a non-repetitive context: ✗ 我又喜欢唱歌 (should be 也 — 我也喜欢唱歌).
- Using 又 after 连 for 'even': ✗ 连他又不知道 (should be 也 — 连他也不知道).
FAQ
- When do I use 又 vs 也 for 'also'?
- For 'also' meaning 'in addition', always use 也. 又 is not used for simple addition; it means 'again' (repetition) or 'both...and...' in the pattern 又…又….
- Can I use 也…也… to mean 'both...and...' like 又…又…?
- No. 也…也… is not a standard pattern for simultaneous qualities. Use 又…又… for adjectives or verbs describing coexisting attributes (e.g., 又大又甜). The pattern 既…也… is also possible for more formal writing, but 也 alone does not form a parallel structure with itself.
- What is the difference between 又 and 再 for 'again'?
- 又 is used for repetition that has already happened (past or factual), while 再 is used for future or voluntary repetition. E.g., 他又来了 'He came again' (already happened); 我明天再来 'I'll come again tomorrow'.
- Can 又 be used in negative sentences?
- Yes, but it is less common. For negated repetition, Chinese often uses 没(有)再… rather than 没又…, e.g., 他没再来 'He didn't come again'. 又 in negative structures like 又不… can convey a tone of reason ('since...not...'), e.g., 你又不去，就别买了 'Since you're not going, don't buy it'.