Difference between revisions of "Expressing time and date"

Latest revision as of 02:15, 31 May 2013

The following structures used to express time and date in Chinese are organized according to our grammar points by level.

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
After a specific time with "yihou"	Time / Verb + 以后	10点以后，我不在家。
Before a specific time with "yiqian"	Time / Verb + 以前	十点以前，我在家。
Expressing "about to happen" with "le"	快 + Verb / Adj. + 了	快下雨了。
Expressing "all along" with "yizhi"	Subj. + 一直 + Predicate	我一直在现在的公司工作。
Expressing "before" in general with "yiqian"	以前，⋯⋯	以前，我不会说中文。
Expressing "just now" with "gangcai"	刚才 + Verb	你刚才说什么了？
Expressing "just" with "gang"	Subj. + 刚 + Verb	他刚走。
Expressing "when" with "de shihou"	⋯⋯的时候	你不在的时候，我会想你。
Expressing duration with "le"	Verb + 了 + Duration	他在北京住了两年。
Expressing ongoing duration with double "le"	Verb + 了 + Duration + 了	他在北京住了两年了。
Structure of times (advanced)	Number 1 + 点(钟) + Number 2 + 分	现在十一点十八分。
Time words and word order	Subj. + Time⋯⋯ / Time + Subj.⋯⋯	我明天有空。/ 明天我有空。

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Comparing "gang" and "gangcai"	刚 vs. 刚才	你刚才去哪儿了？我刚回来。
Comparing "yihou" and "de shihou"	以后 vs 的时候	打篮球的时候会出了很多汗，所以打完篮球以后我要洗澡。
Expressing "about to" with "jiuyao"	还有 + Time Period + 就要 + Verb Phrase + 了	还有五天就要放假了。
Expressing "again" in the future with "zai"	再 + Verb	我下次再来。
Expressing "again" in the past with "you"	又 + Verb + 了	你又迟到了。
Expressing "when" with "dengdao"	等(到) + Time / Event ，Subj. + 再 / 就 ⋯⋯	等到大学毕业，我就不住在学校了。
Expressing "when" with "shi"	Time + 时	考试时不要说话。
Expressing earliness with "jiu"	Subj. + Time + 就 + Verb + 了	我昨晚八点半就睡觉了。
Expressing lateness with "cai"	Subj. + Time + 才 + Verb	他二十五岁才上大学。

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Comparing "cai" and "jiu"	才 vs 就	我花了两天才修好，你一下子就弄坏了。
Comparing "yihou" "ranhou" "houlai"	以后 vs. 然后 vs. 后来	我以后想开公司。/ 后来他去了美国，然后他的父母也搬过去了。
Comparing "yihou" and "zhihou"	以后 vs. 之后	我昨天吃完以后去了超市。之后我就回家了。
Expressing "never again" with "zai ye bu"	Subj. + 再也 + 不 + Verb Phrase + 了	我再也不想跟你说话了。
Expressing "once" with "cengjing"	Subj. + 曾经 + Verb + 过 (+ Obj.)	他说他曾经做过很多傻事。
Expressing "since the beginning" with "yixiang"	一向 + Verb	他做事情一向踏实。
Expressing "when" using "dang"	当……的时候，……	当我见到他的时候，我完全忘了要问他什么。

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Comparing "buduan" and "buting"	不断 vs 不停	她不断地找我，每次都说个不停。
Comparing "yizhi" and "yixiang"	一直 vs. 一向	我一直在现在的公司工作。他一向不迟到。
Expressing "when the time comes" with "dao shihou"	A, 到时候 + B	现在不好好准备考试，到时候又要后悔了。

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+The following structures used to express time and date in Chinese are organized according to our [[grammar points by level]].
+{{CF}}
 [[Category:Functions]]