2 · 40 words

Time words in Chinese

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

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From these 40 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

More about this list

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?

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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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