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[](# "wikilink")
Expressing "how often"
======================
[](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/ASGCED31)
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Level
[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)
-
Similar to
Used for
[Expressing
frequency](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_frequency)
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Keywords
[每](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%AF%8F),
[多长时间](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%A4%9A%E9%95%BF%E6%97%B6%E9%97%B4)
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Translations
[how
often](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/How_often),
[times](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Times)
[{width="300"
height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-mei2.jpg)
Contents
--------
[hide]([# "wikilink")\]
- [1 Asking about
Frequency](#Asking_about_Frequency "wikilink")
- [1.1
Structure](#Structure "wikilink")
- [1.2
Examples](#Examples "wikilink")
- [2 Talking
about Frequency in
General](#Talking_about_Frequency_in_General "wikilink")
- [2.1
Structure](#Structure_2 "wikilink")
- [2.2
Examples](#Examples_2 "wikilink")
- [3 When NOT to
use this pattern](#When_NOT_to_use_this_pattern "wikilink")
- [4 See
also](#See_also "wikilink")
- [5 Sources and
further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink")
- [5.1
Books](#Books "wikilink")
Subj. + 多长时间 + Verb + 一次 (+ Obj.)
### Examples
- 你 的 手机 *多 长 时间* 充电 *一 次* ？
- 你 的 手机 *多 长 时间* 充 *一 次* 电 ？How often do you charge your
phone?
- 你 *多 长 时间* 剪 头发 *一 次* ？
- 你 *多 长 时间* 剪 *一 次* 头发 ？How often do
you cut your hair?
- 你 *多 长 时间* 刮 胡子 *一 次* ？
- 你 *多 长 时间* 刮 *一 次* 胡子 ？How often do
you shave?
Talking about Frequency in General
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Structure
Subj. + \[Length of Time\] + Verb + Times (+ Obj.)
### Examples
- 我 *一 周* 给 妈妈 打 *两 次* 电话 。I
give mom a call twice a week.
- 我们 公司 *一 周* 开 *一 次* 会 。Our company
holds one meeting per week.
- 我 *两 个 月* 剪 *一 次* 头发 。I cut my hair
every two months.
- 我 的 手机 *两 天* 充 *一 次* 电 。I charge
my phone every two days.
- 这 种 药 *四 个 小时* 吃 *一 次* 。Take this
medicine every four hours.
- 你 应该 *半 年* 做 *一 次* 体检 。You should
have a physical examination every half of a year.
When NOT to use this pattern
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The thing about using the pattern above is that it's expected that the
activity is done *regularly*, as part of a *habit*. If it's not an
activity that's regularly engaged in, it's weird to use the pattern.
Consider the following examples:
- 你 *多 长 时间* 换 *一 个* 手机 ？How often do
you buy a new cell phone?
- 你 *多 长 时间* 加 *一 次* 班 ？How often do you
work overtime?
- 你 *多 长 时间* 吃 *一 次* 牛油果 ？How
often do you eat avocado?
In these cases, the speaker is trying to get any idea of how often the
other person does something, regardless of how regular or habitual it
is. In this case, just use 经常 (or similar) to ask about it.
- 你 **经常** 换 手机 吗 ？Do you often buy a new cell
phone?
- 你 **经常** 加班 吗 ？Do you often work late?
- 你 **很 少** 吃 牛油果 吧 ？You rarely eat avocado,
right?
See also
-------------------------------------------------------
- [Pronoun "mei" for
"every"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Pronoun_%22mei%22_for_%22every%22)
- [Expressing "every time" with "mei" and
"dou"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22every_time%22_with_%22mei%22_and_%22dou%22)
Sources and further reading
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Books
[Category](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories):
- [B1 grammar
points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points)
[](http://amzn.to/2iioVRP)