Difference between revisions of "Expressing "when" with "shi""

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{{Grammar Box}}
 
{{Grammar Box}}
  
By now you should now [["When" with "de shihou"|how to express "when" using "的时候" (de shíhou)]]. But there's also a slightly shorter, more formal way to do it: simply use 时 (shí) all by itself. (No 的!)
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By now you should now [["When" with "de shihou"|how to express "when" using 的时候 (de shíhou)]]. But there's also a slightly shorter, more formal way to do it: simply use 时 (shí) all by itself. (No 的!)
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
(Subj. +) Verb / Adj. + 时 + Predicate
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Time + 时 ,Subj. ⋯⋯
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
The [[predicate]] part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.
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As [[time word]]s can appear [[Time words and word order|before or after the subject]], you can also place the "Time + 时" phrase after the subject.
  
As time words can appear [[Time words and word order|before or after the subject]], you can also place the ''Time + 时 (shí)'' after the subject.
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== Examples ==
  
There are two great examples of this pattern in the poem below.
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<div class="liju">
  
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*考试 <em>时</em> 不要 说话 。<span class="pinyin">Kǎoshì <em>shí</em> bùyào shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">Don't talk when you're taking a test.</span>
 +
*我 面试 <em>时</em> 经常 会 问 这个 问题 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ miànshì <em>shí</em> jīngcháng huì wèn zhège wèntí.</span><span class="trans">I often ask this question during job interviews.</span>
 +
*会议 结束 <em>时</em> 老板 才 来 。<span class="pinyin">Huìyì jiéshù <em>shí</em> lǎobǎn cái lái.</span><span class="trans">The boss didn't show up until the meeting was over.</span>
 +
*我 生气 <em>时</em> 不 想 说话 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ shēngqì <em>shí</em> bù xiǎng shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">I don't want to talk when I'm angry.</span>
 +
*他们 大学 毕业 <em>时</em> 就 分手 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen dàxué bìyè <em>shí</em> jiù fēnshǒu le.</span><span class="trans">They broke up when they graduated from college.</span>
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*飞机 起飞 <em>时</em> ,他 关 了 手机 和 电脑 。<span class="pinyin">Fēijī qǐfēi <em>shí</em>, tā guān le shǒujī hé diànnǎo.</span><span class="trans">When the plane took off, he turned off his cell phone and computer.</span>
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*他 太太 提出 离婚 <em>时</em> ,他 很 惊讶 。<span class="pinyin">Tā tàitai tíchū líhūn <em>shí</em>, tā hěn jīngyà.</span><span class="trans">He was very surprised when his wife asked for a divorce.</span>
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*他 去世 <em>时</em> ,他 的 孩子 都 不 在 身边 。<span class="pinyin">Tā qùshì <em>shí</em>, tā de háizi dōu bù zài shēnbiān.</span><span class="trans">His children weren't with him when he passed away.</span>
 +
*我们 公司 成立 <em>时</em> 只有 三 个 人 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gōngsī chénglì <em>shí</em> zhǐyǒu sān gè rén.</span><span class="trans">There were only three people when this company was founded.</span>
 +
*跟 别人 说话 <em>时</em> 不要 玩 手机 。<span class="pinyin">Gēn biérén shuōhuà <em>shí</em> bùyào wán shǒujī.</span><span class="trans">Don't play with your cell phone when you're talking with other people.</span>
  
一会儿看我
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</div>
  
一会儿看云
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There are also two great examples of this pattern in the poem 《远和近》 by Gu Cheng (顾城) below:
  
你看我时很远
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<blockquote>
 +
  
你看云时很近
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一会看我
  
== Examples ==
+
一会看云
  
<div class="liju">
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我觉得
  
*考试 <em>时</em> 不要 说话 。<span class="pinyin">Kǎoshì <em>shí</em> bùyào shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">Don't talk when you take a test.</span>
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你看我时很远
*面试 <em>时</em> 我 经常 会 问 这个 问题 。<span class="pinyin">Miànshì <em>shí</em> wǒ jīngcháng huì wèn zhège wèntí.</span><span class="trans">I often ask this question in a job interview.</span>
 
*会议 结束 <em>时</em> 老板 才 来 。<span class="pinyin">Huìyì jiéshù <em>shí</em> lǎobǎn cái lái.</span><span class="trans">The boss didn't show up until the meeting was over.</span>
 
*我 生气 <em>时</em> 不 想 说话 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ shēngqì <em>shí</em> bù xiǎng shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">I don't want to talk when I'm angry.</span>
 
*他们 结婚 <em>时</em> 什么 都 没有 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen jiéhūn <em>shí</em> shénme dōu méiyǒu.</span><span class="trans">They barely own anything when they got married.</span>
 
*大学 毕业 <em>时</em> ,他们 分手 了 。<span class="pinyin">Dàxué bìyè <em>shí</em>, tāmen fēnshǒu le.</span><span class="trans">When they graduated, they broke up.</span>
 
*飞机 起飞 <em>时</em> ,他 关 了 手机 和 电脑 。<span class="pinyin">Fēijī qǐfēi <em>shí</em>, tā guān le shǒujī hé diànnǎo.</span><span class="trans">When the plane took off, he turned off his cell phone and computer.</span>
 
*他 去世 <em>时</em> 儿女 都 不 在 身边 。<span class="pinyin">Tā qùshì <em>shí</em> érnǚ dōu bù zài shēnbiān.</span><span class="trans">His parents weren't home when he passed away.</span>
 
*我们 公司 成立 <em>时</em> 只有 三 个 人 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gōngsī chénglì <em>shí</em> zhǐyǒu sān gè rén.</span><span class="trans">There were only three people when this company was founded.</span>
 
*跟 别人 说话 <em>时</em> 不要 玩 手机 。<span class="pinyin">Gēn biérén shuōhuà <em>shí</em> bùyào wán shǒujī.</span><span class="trans">Don't play with your cell phone when you talk with other people.</span>
 
  
</div>
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你看云时很近
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</blockquote>
  
==See also==
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== See also ==
  
 
*[[Before a specific time]]
 
*[[Before a specific time]]
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK3}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing time and date}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing time and date}}
 
{{Used for|Referring to simultaneous events}}
 
{{Used for|Referring to simultaneous events}}
{{Basic Grammar|时|B1|(Subj. +) Verb / Adj. + 时⋯⋯|你 看 云 <em>时</em> 很 近 。|grammar point|ASGGL59D}}
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{{Basic Grammar|时|B1|Time + |考试 <em>时</em> 不要 说话 。|grammar point|ASGGL59D}}
 
{{Rel char|时候}}
 
{{Rel char|时候}}
 
{{Rel char|的时候}}
 
{{Rel char|的时候}}

Latest revision as of 13:21, 22 March 2021

By now you should now how to express "when" using 的时候 (de shíhou). But there's also a slightly shorter, more formal way to do it: simply use 时 (shí) all by itself. (No 的!)

Structure

Time + 时 ,Subj. ⋯⋯

As time words can appear before or after the subject, you can also place the "Time + 时" phrase after the subject.

Examples

  • 考试 不要 说话 。Kǎoshì shí bùyào shuōhuà.Don't talk when you're taking a test.
  • 我 面试 经常 会 问 这个 问题 。Wǒ miànshì shí jīngcháng huì wèn zhège wèntí.I often ask this question during job interviews.
  • 会议 结束 老板 才 来 。Huìyì jiéshù shí lǎobǎn cái lái.The boss didn't show up until the meeting was over.
  • 我 生气 不 想 说话 。Wǒ shēngqì shí bù xiǎng shuōhuà.I don't want to talk when I'm angry.
  • 他们 大学 毕业 就 分手 了 。Tāmen dàxué bìyè shí jiù fēnshǒu le.They broke up when they graduated from college.
  • 飞机 起飞 ,他 关 了 手机 和 电脑 。Fēijī qǐfēi shí, tā guān le shǒujī hé diànnǎo.When the plane took off, he turned off his cell phone and computer.
  • 他 太太 提出 离婚 ,他 很 惊讶 。Tā tàitai tíchū líhūn shí, tā hěn jīngyà.He was very surprised when his wife asked for a divorce.
  • 他 去世 ,他 的 孩子 都 不 在 身边 。Tā qùshì shí, tā de háizi dōu bù zài shēnbiān.His children weren't with him when he passed away.
  • 我们 公司 成立 只有 三 个 人 。Wǒmen gōngsī chénglì shí zhǐyǒu sān gè rén.There were only three people when this company was founded.
  • 跟 别人 说话 不要 玩 手机 。Gēn biérén shuōhuà shí bùyào wán shǒujī.Don't play with your cell phone when you're talking with other people.

There are also two great examples of this pattern in the poem 《远和近》 by Gu Cheng (顾城) below:

一会看我

一会看云

我觉得

你看我时很远

你看云时很近

See also

Sources and further reading

Books