就 (jiù): How to Say “Then” / “So”
就 (jiù) is “then” in the sense of “so / in that case” — the first clause sets up a situation, and 就 (before the verb) introduces what follows from it. It pairs constantly with 吧 and 了.
Why this trips learners up
“Then” is a slippery word. When you look up how to say “then” in Chinese, you'll meet 就 (jiù) — but English “then” does two different jobs, and 就 only does one of them. 就 is the “then” of consequence: “you like it, then (= so) let's buy it.” The setup comes first, and 就 — sitting before the verb — introduces what follows from it: 你喜欢，我们就买吧.
The other “then” — “we ate, then (= afterward) we left” — is a time sequence, and that's a different word, 然后 (ránhòu). Mixing them up is the classic trap. Two quick rules for 就: it's an adverb, so it goes after the result-clause subject and before the verb (我们就去, not 就我们去), and it needs a verb after it — you can't jump from 就 to a bare noun. It pairs constantly with 吧 (a suggestion: 就买吧) and 了 (a decision: 就不去了).
The structure
Colour key
Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.
Examples in context
Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.
Tap a word to see its grammatical role.
nǐ 你 Subject lèi 累 Adjective le 了 Function word jiù 就 Pattern xiūxi 休息 Verb ba 吧 Function word
You're tired, so get some rest then.
tiānqì 天气 Subject hǎo 好 Adjective wǒmen 我们 Subject jiù 就 Pattern qù 去 Verb gōngyuán 公园 Place ba 吧 Function word
The weather's nice, so let's go to the park then.
jīntiān 今天 Time tài 太 Adverb lěng 冷 Adjective wǒ 我 Subject jiù 就 Pattern bù 不 Negation qù 去 Verb le 了 Function word
It's too cold today, so I won't go then.
háizi 孩子 Subject méi 没 Negation chī 吃 Verb zǎofàn 早饭 Object jiù 就 Pattern è 饿 Adjective le 了 Function word
The kid didn't eat breakfast, so he got hungry.
jiù 就 Pattern zài 在 Verb jiā 家 Place chī 吃 Verb fàn 饭 Object ba 吧 Function word
Let's just eat at home then.
nǐ 你 Subject bù 不 Negation xǐhuan 喜欢 Verb wǒmen 我们 Subject jiù 就 Pattern bié 别 Negation mǎi 买 Verb le 了 Function word
You don't like it, so let's not buy it then.
míngtiān 明天 Time yǒu 有 Verb kòng 空 Object wǒ 我 Subject jiù 就 Pattern qù 去 Verb kàn 看 Verb nǐ 你 Object
If I'm free tomorrow, I'll come see you.
nà jiā cāntīng 那家餐厅 Subject tài 太 Adverb guì 贵 Adjective le 了 Function word wǒmen 我们 Subject jiù 就 Pattern huàn 换 Verb yì jiā 一家 Measure word ba 吧 Function word
That restaurant's too expensive, so let's switch to another one then.
Common mistakes
Why it happens: This is the heart of it. 就 is “then” meaning “so / in that case” — it follows from the setup. 然后 is “then” meaning “after that” — a step later in time. “You like it, so buy it” is 你喜欢，就买吧; swap in 然后 and you've said “you like it, and afterward buy it”, which misses the point. Reach for 就 when “then” means “in that case”.
Why it happens: 就 is an adverb, so it sits after the result-clause subject, not before it: 我们就吃面吧 (we + then + eat), never 就我们吃面吧. Find the subject of the result, and put 就 right after it.
Why it happens: 就 needs a verb after it — it can't lead straight into a noun. “Then let's have coffee” is 就喝咖啡吧 (then + drink + coffee), not 就咖啡吧. If you're tempted to put a noun after 就, add the verb back in.
Compare & contrast
| 就 — “then / so” (in that case) | 然后 — “then / after that” (next in time) | The difference |
|---|---|---|
| 你想去，我们就去。nǐ xiǎng qù, wǒmen jiù qù. | 我们先吃饭，然后去看电影。wǒmen xiān chī fàn, ránhòu qù kàn diànyǐng. | 你想去，我们就去 = “you want to go, so we'll go” — the result follows from the reason. 我们先吃饭，然后去看电影 = “we'll eat first, then go to a movie” — one thing after another in time. |
| 你忙，我就先走了。nǐ máng, wǒ jiù xiān zǒu le. | 我先开会，然后给你打电话。wǒ xiān kāihuì, ránhòu gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà. | 你忙，我就先走了 = “you're busy, so I'll head off” (consequence). 我先开会，然后给你打电话 = “I'll have a meeting first, then call you” (sequence). |
Try it yourself
Say “Then let's go” (就…吧) — tap the words into order.
Related patterns
Quick reference card
就 (jiù): How to Say “Then” / “So” grammar.merrymandarin.com A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.