Sequential Transition Words: First of all, and then, next, lastly…

In this post, we will get to know 4 of the most basic, common Chinese sequential transition words. We are going to learn these words by reading a short instruction of how to put an elephant into a fridge.

shǒu xiān wǒ men yào zhǎo yī zhǐ dà xiàng hé yí gè bīng xiāng 

首 先， 我 们 要 找 一 只 大 象 和 一 个 冰 箱。

First of all, we need to find an elephant and a fridge. 
rán hòu wǒ men yào dǎ kāi bīng xiāng de mén
然 后， 我 们 要 打 开 冰 箱 的 门。

Then, we need to open the door of the fridge. 
jiē xià lái wǒ men bǎ dà xiàng fàng jìn bīng xiāng
接 下 来， 我 们 把 大 象 放 进 冰 箱。

Next, we put the elephant into the fridge. 

zuì hòu wǒ men guān shàng bīng xiāng
最 后， 我 们 关 上 冰 箱。

Lastly, we close the fridge.