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2  ·  40 words

Time words

Before and after, just now and in a moment, how long and how often.

Chinese verbs do not change for time, so time words do the work. They stand before the verb, often at the very start of the sentence: 刚才(gāngcái)有(yǒu)人(rén)找(zhǎo)你(nǐ), “somebody was looking for you just now”. Two pairs trip English speakers: 时间(shíjiān) is an amount of time and 时候(shíhou) a point in it; 后来(hòulái)means “later” only about the past以后(yǐhòu)about the future as well

The words

Verb (2)

提前(tíqián)to do in advance; earlyVerb2
飞机(fēijī)提前(tíqián)二十(èrshí)分钟(fēnzhōng)到(dào)了(le)。The plane arrived twenty minutes early.
晚点(wǎndiǎn)(of a train or plane) to be late, delayedVerb2
因为(yīnwèi)下雪(xiàxuě)，火车(huǒchē)晚点(wǎndiǎn)了(le)。The train was delayed because of the snow.

Noun (9)

时候(shíhou)(point in) time; whenNoun1
你(nǐ)什么(shénme)时候(shíhou)有(yǒu)空(kòng)？When are you free?

After a clause with 的(de) it means “when …”: 小(xiǎo)的(de)时候(shíhou), when I was little.

时间(shíjiān)time (an amount of it)Noun1
对不起(duìbuqǐ)，我(wǒ)没有(méiyǒu)时间(shíjiān)。Sorry, I don’t have time.

时间(shíjiān) is how much time; 时候(shíhou) is when.

小时(xiǎoshí)hourNoun2
坐(zuò)火车(huǒchē)要(yào)三(sān)个(ge)小时(xiǎoshí)。It takes three hours by train.

Counted with 个(gè): 两(liǎng)个(ge)小时(xiǎoshí).

钟头(zhōngtóu)hourNoun2
我(wǒ)等(děng)了(le)他(tā)一(yí)个(ge)钟头(zhōngtóu)。I waited an hour for him.

A spoken word for 小时(xiǎoshí).

分钟(fēnzhōng)minuteNoun2
走路(zǒulù)只(zhǐ)要(yào)十(shí)分钟(fēnzhōng)。It’s only a ten-minute walk.

A length of time; 分(fēn) alone gives the time on the clock.

秒(miǎo)secondNoun2
请(qǐng)等(děng)几(jǐ)秒(miǎo)。Please wait a few seconds.
半天(bàntiān)half a day; a long time, agesNoun2
我(wǒ)找(zhǎo)了(le)半天(bàntiān)也(yě)没(méi)找到(zhǎodào)。I looked for ages and still couldn’t find it.

In speech mostly “ages”, not literally half a day.

日子(rìzi)day, date; days, lifeNoun2
结婚(jiéhūn)的(de)日子(rìzi)定(dìng)了(le)吗(ma)？Have you set the date for the wedding?
周末(zhōumò)weekendNoun2
这个(zhège)周末(zhōumò)你(nǐ)有(yǒu)什么(shénme)打算(dǎsuàn)？What are your plans for this weekend?

Adjective (2)

准时(zhǔnshí)punctual, on timeAdjective2
火车(huǒchē)准时(zhǔnshí)出发(chūfā)了(le)。The train left on time.
久(jiǔ)long (of time)Adjective2
我(wǒ)很(hěn)久(jiǔ)没(méi)见到(jiàndào)他(tā)了(le)。I haven’t seen him for a long time.

Adverb (8)

已经(yǐjīng)alreadyAdverb2
电影(diànyǐng)已经(yǐjīng)开始(kāishǐ)了(le)。The film has already started.

Usually with 了(le) at the end of the sentence.

刚(gāng)just (a moment ago)Adverb2
我(wǒ)刚(gāng)到(dào)家(jiā)。I’ve only just got home.
正在(zhèngzài)in the middle of (doing)Adverb2
他(tā)正在(zhèngzài)开会(kāihuì)，请(qǐng)等(děng)一下(yíxià)。He’s in a meeting at the moment; please wait a little.
马上(mǎshàng)at once, right awayAdverb2
我(wǒ)马上(mǎshàng)给(gěi)你(nǐ)回(huí)电话(diànhuà)。I’ll call you right back.
立刻(lìkè)immediatelyAdverb2
看到(kàndào)妈妈(māma)，孩子(háizi)立刻(lìkè)不(bù)哭(kū)了(le)。As soon as he saw his mother, the child stopped crying.

A little more formal than 马上(mǎshàng).

早就(zǎojiù)long ago, for a long time alreadyAdverb2
这(zhè)件(jiàn)事(shì)我(wǒ)早就(zǎojiù)知道(zhīdao)了(le)。I’ve known about this for ages.
一下子(yíxiàzi)all at once, suddenlyAdverb2
天(tiān)一下子(yíxiàzi)黑(hēi)了(le)。All of a sudden it got dark.
随时(suíshí)at any timeAdverb2
有(yǒu)问题(wèntí)可以(kěyǐ)随时(suíshí)问(wèn)我(wǒ)。If you have any questions, you can ask me any time.

Phrase (3)

到时候(dàoshíhou)when the time comesPhrase2
到时候(dàoshíhou)我(wǒ)给(gěi)你(nǐ)打电话(dǎdiànhuà)。I’ll ring you when the time comes.
第一次(dìyīcì)the first timePhrase2
这(zhè)是(shì)我(wǒ)第一次(dìyīcì)来(lái)中国(Zhōngguó)。This is my first time in China.

一(yī) keeps yī in an ordinal.

那时候(nàshíhou)at that time, back thenPhrase2
那时候(nàshíhou)我(wǒ)还(hái)在(zài)上(shàng)大学(dàxué)。At that time I was still at university.

Time word (15)

现在(xiànzài)nowTime word1
我(wǒ)现在(xiànzài)没(méi)空(kòng)，一会儿(yíhuìr)再(zài)说(shuō)。I’m busy right now — let’s talk in a bit.
整天(zhěngtiān)all day longTime word2
他(tā)整天(zhěngtiān)玩儿(wánr)手机(shǒujī)。He plays on his phone all day long.
早晨(zǎochén)early morningTime word2
早晨(zǎochén)的(de)空气(kōngqì)很(hěn)新鲜(xīnxiān)。The air is fresh in the early morning.

A little more written than 早上(zǎoshang).

刚才(gāngcái)just now, a moment agoTime word2
刚才(gāngcái)有(yǒu)人(rén)给(gěi)你(nǐ)打电话(dǎdiànhuà)。Somebody rang you just now.

A time word: it can stand before the subject, which 刚(gāng) cannot.

以前(yǐqián)before; in the pastTime word2
以前(yǐqián)我(wǒ)不(bù)喜欢(xǐhuan)吃(chī)辣(là)的(de)。I didn’t use to like spicy food.

Also after a verb: 睡觉(shuìjiào)以前(yǐqián), before going to bed.

以后(yǐhòu)after; later, in the futureTime word2
以后(yǐhòu)我(wǒ)想(xiǎng)去(qù)中国(Zhōngguó)工作(gōngzuò)。In the future I’d like to work in China.
之前(zhīqián)beforeTime word2
出门(chūmén)之前(zhīqián)别(bié)忘(wàng)了(le)关(guān)灯(dēng)。Don’t forget to turn the light off before you go out.

A little more formal than 以前(yǐqián).

之后(zhīhòu)after, afterwardsTime word2
下课(xiàkè)之后(zhīhòu)我们(wǒmen)去(qù)吃饭(chīfàn)。After class we’ll go and eat.
后来(hòulái)later, afterwards (in the past)Time word2
我们(wǒmen)在(zài)北京(Běijīng)认识(rènshi)，后来(hòulái)成(chéng)了(le)好(hǎo)朋友(péngyou)。We met in Beijing and later became good friends.

Only about the past; for the future, 以后(yǐhòu).

一会儿(yíhuìr)a little while; in a momentTime word2
我们(wǒmen)休息(xiūxi)一会儿(yíhuìr)吧(ba)。Let’s rest for a little while.
不久(bùjiǔ)soon; not long afterTime word2
他(tā)回国(huíguó)不久(bùjiǔ)就(jiù)结婚(jiéhūn)了(le)。He got married not long after going back to his country.
同时(tóngshí)at the same timeTime word2
他们(tāmen)俩(liǎ)同时(tóngshí)到(dào)了(le)。The two of them arrived at the same time.
今后(jīnhòu)from now onTime word2
今后(jīnhòu)我(wǒ)会(huì)更(gèng)小心(xiǎoxīn)。From now on I’ll be more careful.
上次(shàngcì)last timeTime word2
上次(shàngcì)我们(wǒmen)见面(jiànmiàn)是(shì)在(zài)北京(Běijīng)。The last time we met was in Beijing.
下次(xiàcì)next timeTime word2
下次(xiàcì)我(wǒ)请(qǐng)你(nǐ)吃饭(chīfàn)。Next time dinner’s on me.

Question word (1)

多久(duōjiǔ)how longQuestion word2
你(nǐ)学(xué)汉语(Hànyǔ)学(xué)了(le)多久(duōjiǔ)？How long have you been learning Chinese?

This list belongs to Basic words: numbers, time, verbs — 21 lists and 842 words that can also be practised as a whole.

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Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.