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

每次⋯⋯ 都⋯⋯ (měi cì... 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 + Event 1 + 都 + Event 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?
• 你 怎么 每次 吃 火锅 都 拉肚子 ？Nǐ zěnme měicì chī huǒguō dōu lādùzi?Why do you have diarrhea every time you eat hotpot?
• 他 每次 迟到 都 说 因为 堵车 。Tā měicì chídào dōu shuō yīnwèi dǔchē.He would say it's because of traffic jam every time he's late.
• 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.
• 她 每次 在 外面 吃饭 都 要 拍照 。Tā měi cì zài wàimiàn chīfàn dōu yào pāizhào.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