Learn Hardcore Chinese: nǐ xiān xiūxi yíhuìr, wǒmen hái yǒu yìxiē shíjiān, ránhòu wǒmen jìxù xuéxí. - Rest for a while first; we still have some time, then we’ll continue studying.

先 goes before the first action verb phrase: 你先休息一会儿.
然后 usually starts the next clause, optionally followed by the subject: 然后我们继续学习.
Avoid putting 然后 between the subject and verb like 我们然后继续学习 (sounds awkward).
Common alternatives: 再 (then/next), 接着 (then/next), 之后 (after that).
- Example: 你先休息一会儿，接着继续学习。 / 你先休息一会儿，再继续学习。

Why 休息一会儿 and not 休息一下? What’s the difference?

一会儿 (yíhuìr) indicates a short period of time (a few minutes-ish). It’s a duration.
一下 (yíxià) softens the action and suggests briefness or a quick try, not a specific time span.
Nuance:
- 休息一会儿 = rest for a short while (actual time).
- 休息一下 = have a quick rest / take a moment (polite, lighter).
Colloquial variants: 休息会儿 (dropping 一), northern speech may say 休息一会儿儿 in fast speech; both are fine.

How do you pronounce 休息? Is the second syllable neutral or first tone?

Standard Mainland pronunciation: xiūxi (first tone + neutral tone). The second syllable is light/short.
Taiwan Mandarin often uses xiūxī (both first tone). Both are widely understood.
In careful Mainland speech or dictionaries, you’ll see the neutral-tone reading marked.

Why do 一会儿 and 一些 have different tones on 一? What are the rules?

Tone sandhi for 一 (yī):

Before a 4th-tone syllable, 一 changes to 2nd tone: yí. Example: 一会儿 yíhuìr (会 huì is 4th tone).
Before 1st/2nd/3rd tones, 一 becomes 4th tone: yì. Example: 一些 yìxiē (些 xiē is 1st tone).
When said alone or emphasized as the number “one,” it’s yī (1st tone).

What does 还 mean in 我们还有一些时间? Is it “still” or “also”?

Here 还 (hái) means still/yet: we still have some time left. It implies time remains.

Without 还: 我们有一些时间 is just “we have some time” (no “still” nuance).
Don’t use 再 here: 我们再有一些时间 is ungrammatical. Use 还 with 有 to express “still have.”

Should I say 一些时间 or 一点时间? Are both correct?

Both are acceptable, with nuance:

一些时间 = some time (neutral amount).
一点(儿)时间 = a little time (suggests a small amount).
Many speakers prefer 还有点(儿)时间 in conversation to mean “there’s a little time left.”

Can I say 还有几个时间 to mean “a few units of time”?

No. 时间 is a mass noun. Use a measure word with a specific unit or a period:

Do I need 吧 to make the suggestion softer? For example, 你先休息一会儿吧?

Adding 吧 is a good idea to soften the directive into a friendly suggestion:

Can I drop the second 我们 after 然后?

Yes. If the subject is clear, Chinese often omits it:

Why is there no 了 anywhere? Would 了 change the meaning?

This sentence gives instructions/plans, not completed actions, so 了 isn’t needed.

还有一些时间了 would be unusual here; sentence-final 了 often marks a change of state (“now there is time”), which doesn’t fit a neutral plan.
休息了 would mean “(someone) has already rested,” not an instruction.

What’s the difference between 继续, 接着, and 再 with 学习?

继续学习: continue the same ongoing activity (resume after a pause or carry on). Most fitting here.
接着学习: next, proceed to study (emphasizes sequence to the next step).
再学习: study again / study more later (repetition or the next occurrence). With a pause implied, 再 can mean “then (next time).”
You can say: 然后接着学习, 然后再学习. 继续学习 is the default for “continue studying.”
继续学 vs 继续学习: both okay; 继续学习 is a bit more formal/general. If the object is known (e.g., 这课), 继续学这课 is natural.

What’s with the 儿 in 一会儿? Do I have to say it?

That’s 儿化 (erhua), common in northern Mandarin:

一会儿 (yíhuìr) and 一会 (yíhuì) mean the same; northern speakers prefer the 儿.
In southern speech and Taiwan, 一会 (no r) is more common. Both are fine.
Pronounce 会儿 as a single syllable ending in a retroflex -r: huìr.