quote1sub-quote1 post text quote2 post text TXT; $result = preg_split('%()%sim', $txt,-1,PREG_SPLIT_DELIM_CAPTURE); $nested = 0; $set = []; foreach($result as $r) { if($r == '') { $nested += 1;} elseif($r == '') { $nested -= 1; } else { $set[] = [$r,$nested]; } } var_export($set);