Expressing "when the time comes" with "dao shihou"

到时候(dào shíhou) basically means the same thing as "when the times comes." Usually "when the time comes" is pointing to a specific event in the future.

General use of "到时候"

Structure

Usually this grammar pattern starts with a statement to set things up (A), then the things that happens in the future is stated (B) after the 到时候.

……，到时候 + ……

Examples

• 现在 不 好好 准备 考试，到时候 肯定 考 不好。If you don't prepare well, then you won't do it well in the exam.
• 我 要 学 唱 中文 的 生日快乐 歌，到时候 唱 给 你们 听。I want to learn the Chinese song "Happy Birthday." I'll sing for you guys when the time comes.
• 你 先 自己 试 一 试，到时候 我 再 教 你。You can give it a try first. I will teach you when the time comes.

Commonly used expressions with 到时候

Examples

• 到时候 见。See you then.
• 到时候 看 吧。Let's see what we can do later.
• 到时候 再 说 吧。We will talk about that later when the time comes.

Sources and further reading

Books

• Exemplification of Common Sentence Patterns in Spoken Chinese 汉语口语常用句式例解 (P.63)→buy NEEDS LINK
• Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)(P.199) →buy
• Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) (p. 62)→buy

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