那么 / 那【nàme / nà】

那么 at the head of a clause means "then" or "in that case". It takes what someone has just said, or a condition, and draws the conclusion. In conversation it shrinks to 那.

The second clause is often a suggestion with 吧, or a decision with 就 before the verb.

那 or 那么

那 is spoken. 那么 is a little more careful and is the one you write, especially in the second half of a 如果 sentence.

那么 before an adjective

那么 in front of an adjective means "so" or "that": 那么贵 is "that expensive". The "then" 那么 stands at the front of a clause, followed by a pause or a subject.

那, not 然后

然后 means "after that" and moves a story or a plan to its next step. It doesn't draw a conclusion from what the other person said.

• × 你累了？然后你休息吧 → 你累了？那你休息吧
• × 他不来，然后我们走吧 → 他不来，那我们走吧