Questions & Answers about míngtiān wǒ zài lái.
Is it normal to put the time word first? Could I also say 我明天再来?
Where does 再 go? Can I say 我明天来再?
Should it be 来 or 去 here?
Use 来 when the movement is toward the speaker or listener’s location (“come”), and 去 when it’s away (“go”).
- If you’re talking to someone at the destination: 明天我再来 (“I’ll come again (to you) tomorrow.”)
- If the destination is somewhere else: 明天我再去公司 (“I’ll go to the company again tomorrow.”)
Why is there no 了? Would 明天我再来了 work?
No 了 here. 了 typically marks completion/change and clashes with the clearly future time 明天. 明天我再来了 sounds off. For “I’m coming (arriving) again (now),” you’d say 我又来了 (present/just happened), not with 明天.
What’s the difference between 再 and 又?
- 再 = again in the future or in instructions/requests: 明天再来 (“come again tomorrow”).
- 又 = again in the past, or sometimes for imminent repetition with a tone of complaint/annoyance: 他昨天又来了 (“He came again yesterday”); 他明天又要来了 (feels like “Ugh, he’s going to come again tomorrow.”). So for a neutral future plan/promise, use 再.
Do I need a future marker like 会 or 要?
Not necessary—Chinese often uses time words alone for the future. You can add:
- 会 to indicate likelihood: 明天我会再来 (“I will/likely will come again tomorrow.”)
- 要 for intention/plan: 明天我要再来 (“I’m going to come again tomorrow.”)
How do I say “one more time/one more trip/once more from the start”?
Add a measure word after 再来:
- 再来一次 (one more time, general)
- 再来一趟 (one more trip/visit)
- 再来一遍 (once more from the beginning, for actions you can repeat start-to-finish)
Can 再来 also mean “another one (of something)”?
Yes, in requests for more items/portions: 再来一杯咖啡 (“Another cup of coffee, please.”). In your sentence it means “come again,” not “another one.”
How do I make this softer or more polite?
Add 吧 to sound like a suggestion/offer: 明天我再来吧 (“I’ll come back tomorrow, okay?”). You can also add a tag like 好吗？ to invite agreement: 明天我再来，好吗？
How do I negate this correctly?
- Don’t come (imperative): 明天别来 / 明天别再来.
- I won’t come tomorrow (change of plan): 我明天不来了.
- I won’t come anymore (no longer): 我不再来了 or stronger 我再也不来了.
Can I drop the subject or the time?
Yes, if context is clear.
- 明天再来。 Could be “(You) come again tomorrow” (instruction) or “(I’ll) come again tomorrow” (promise), depending on who’s speaking.
- 我再来。 “I’ll come again.” Time is implicit.
Is 再 (zài) the same word as 在 (zài)?
They’re homophones but different:
- 再 (again; then): your sentence uses this one.
- 在 (at; in; progressive marker). Don’t say 我在来 for “I’m coming”—use 我来了 (“I’ve arrived/I’m coming in”) or 我在路上 (“I’m on the way”).
Could I say 明天我再回来 instead? What’s the nuance vs 来?
- 来 = come (to you/this place).
- 回来 = come back (return to a place one was at before). If you’re returning to the same place, 明天我再回来 fits. If you’re simply coming (not necessarily “back”), 明天我再来 is neutral and very common.
Does 再 here mean “then/and then,” like in 先…再…?
Here it means “again.” 再 can also mean “then/next” in sequences: 先吃饭，再开会 (“First eat, then have the meeting”). Context disambiguates.
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