Expressing "every time" with "mei" and "dou"

每⋯⋯都⋯⋯ (měi... dōu...) is a pattern used to express "every time," even though the phrase 每次 (měi cì) may not be explicitly used.

Structure

You should already be familiar with how 每 and 都 work together. In this grammar structure, the focus is on what happens every time a certain action is done.

Subj. + 每次 + [Verb Phrase 1] + 都 + [Verb Phrase 2]

Examples

• 她 每次 来 我 家 都 带 花 。Tā měi cì lái wǒ jiā dōu dài huā.She brings flowers every time she visits me.
• 为什么 每次 我 来 他 都 不 在 ？Wèishénme měi cì wǒ lái tā dōu bù zài?How come he‘s not here every time I come here?
• 小时候 每次 过年 ，奶奶 都 给 我 红包 。Xiǎoshíhou měi cì guònián nǎinai dōu gěi wǒ hóngbāo.When I was young, every time we celebrated CNY, grandma gave me a red packet.
• 我 每次 经过 这 家 店 都 要 进去 看看 。Wǒ měi cì jīngguò zhè jiā diàn dōu yào jìnqù kànkan.Every time I pass this shop, I go inside and take a look.
• 我 不 懂 为什么 每次 在 外面 吃饭 她 都 要 拍照 。Wǒ bù dǒng měi cì zài wàimiàn chīfàn tā dōu yào pāizhào.I don't understand why she takes photos of food every time she eats out.
• 每次 编辑 都 要 保存 。Měi cì biānjí dōu yào bǎocún.Every time you edit, save it.
• 我 每次 玩 这个 游戏 都 输 。Wǒ měi cì wán zhège yóuxì dōu shū.Every time I play this game, I lose.
• 我 姐姐 每次 换 工作 都 要 搬家 。Wǒ jiějie měi cì huàn gōngzuò dōu yào bānjiā.Every time my elder sister starts a new job, she moves.
• 每次 遇到 生词 他 都 要 查 字典 。Měi cì yùdào shēngcí tā dōu yào chá zìdiǎn.Every time he comes across a new word, he looks it up in the dictionary.
• 爸爸 每次 出差 都 给我 买 礼物 。Bàba měi cì chūchāi dōu gěi wǒ mǎi lǐwù.My father buys presents for me every time he goes on business trips.

See also

• Pronoun "mei" for "every"
• Emphasising quantity with "dou"
• Measure words for verbs

Sources and further reading

Books

• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 87-8) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 267) →buy
• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 284-5) →buy