In English, if we are reflecting on a past time, we often say, "*when* I
was a child" or "*when* I was in school." In Chinese, this can also be
expressed by using 的时候 (de shíhou).
Structure
---------
To talk about events that happened *at* or *during* a particular time,
的时候 (de shíhou) is often used. This is simply attached to the word or
phrase indicating the time:
<div class="jiegou">
(Subj.) + Verb / Adj. + 的 时候, ....
</div>
As time words can appear [before or after the
subject](Time_words_and_word_order "wikilink"), you can also place the
"Time + 的时候 (de shíhou)" after the subject:
<div class="jiegou">
Time Word + 的 时候, ....
</div>
Examples
--------
<div class="liju">
- 你 <em>不 在</em> <strong>的时候</strong>，我 会 想
你。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em> bù zài</em> <strong>de
shíhou</strong>, wǒ huì xiǎng nǐ.</span><span class="trans">When you
are not here, I'll miss you.</span>
- 我 <em>上 大学</em> <strong>的时候</strong>，有 很 多 朋友。
<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>shàng dàxué</em> <strong>de
shíhou</strong>, yǒu hěn duō péngyou.</span><span class="trans">When
I was in college, I had a lot of friends.</span>
- <em>上课</em> <strong>的时候</strong> 不要 吃
东西。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shàngkè</em> <strong>de
shíhou</strong> bùyào chī dōngxi.</span><span class="trans">Don't
eat when you are in class.</span>
- 老板 <em>工作</em> <strong>的时候</strong> 喜欢 喝
咖啡。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>gōngzuò</em> <strong>de
shíhou</strong> xǐhuan hē kāfēi.</span><span class="trans">When the
boss works, he likes to drink coffee.</span>
- 我 <em>生气</em> <strong>的时候</strong>，请 你 不要
笑。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>shēngqì</em> <strong>de
shíhou</strong>, qǐng nǐ bùyào
xiào.</span><span class="trans">Please don't laugh when I'm
angry.</span>
- 妈妈 <em>不 在 家</em> <strong>的时候</strong>，我 自己
做饭。<span class="pinyin">Māma <em>bù zài jiā</em> <strong>de
shíhou</strong>, wǒ zìjǐ zuòfàn.</span><span class="trans">When mom
is not home, I cook for myself.</span>
- <em>开会</em> <strong>的时候</strong> 不要
聊天。<span class="pinyin"><em>Kāihuì</em> <strong>de
shíhou</strong> bùyào liáotiān.</span><span class="trans">Don't chat
when you are in a meeting.</span>
- <em>吃 东西</em> <strong>的时候</strong> 不要
说话。<span class="pinyin"><em>Chī dōngxi</em> <strong>de
shíhou</strong> bùyào shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">Don't talk
when eating.</span>
- 你 <em>开车</em> <strong>的时候</strong> 会 打 电话
吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>kāichē</em> <strong>de
shíhou</strong> huì dǎ diànhuà ma? </span><span class="trans">Do you
talk on the phone when you're driving?</span>
- <em>走路</em> <strong>的时候</strong> 不要
玩手机。<span class="pinyin"><em> Zǒulù</em> <strong>de
shíhou</strong> bùyào wán shǒujī.</span><span class="trans">Don't
play with your phone while walking.</span>
</div>
See also
--------
- [Before a specific time](Before_a_specific_time "wikilink")
- [In the future in general](In_the_future_in_general "wikilink")
- [Comparing "yihou" and "de
shihou"](Comparing_"yihou"_and_"de_shihou" "wikilink")
Sources and further reading
---------------------------
### Books
- [Basic Patterns of Chinese
Grammar](Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar "wikilink") (pp. 24-5)
[→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899)
- [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2
(3rd ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed) "wikilink") (pp.
293-4)
[→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709)
Similar to talking about things in the past, talking about things in the
future is very straight forward. You can use the simple but useful 以后
(yǐhòu), which also means "later."
Structure
---------
To talk about things happening at some unspecified time in the future,
you can use 以后 (yǐhòu). The structure is:
<div class="jiegou">
以后 + Subj. + Verb + Obj.
</div>
You can also move 以后 (yǐhòu) to right after the subject, and it's also
correct.
<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 以后 + Verb + Obj.
</div>
This can be used to talk about actions in the future, or to talk about
events that happened *after other events* in a story.
Examples
--------
In the examples below, the translation "in the future" is used, because
using "later" for 以后 (yǐhòu) either sounds weird, or makes it sound
like it's going to happen really soon (just a little later), rather than
at some indefinite point in the future, which is what is meant.
<div class="liju">
- <em>以后</em> 你们 会 想我 吗？ <span class="pinyin"><em>Yǐhòu</em>
nǐmen huì xiǎng wǒ ma? </span><span class="trans">In the future,
will you miss me? </span>
- <em>以后</em> 你 想 来 中国 吗？ <span class="pinyin"><em>Yǐhòu</em>
nǐ xiǎng lái Zhōngguó ma? </span><span class="trans">In the future,
do you want to come to China? </span>
- 我 <em>以后</em> 不 喝酒 了。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yǐhòu</em>
bù hējiǔ le.</span><span class="trans">I will not drink alcohol in
the future.</span>
- 我们 <em>以后</em> 不 在 这里 工作 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen
<em>yǐhòu</em> bù zài zhèlǐ gōngzuò le.</span><span class="trans">We
will not work here in the future.</span>
- 你儿子 <em>以后</em> 想 做 什么？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ érzi
<em>yǐhòu</em> xiǎng zuò shénme? </span><span class="trans">In the
future, what does your son want to do? </span>
- <em>以后</em> 你们 想 去哪儿 工作？
<span class="pinyin"><em>Yǐhòu</em> nǐmen xiǎng qù nǎr gōngzuò?
</span><span class="trans">In the future, where would you like to
work? </span>
- <em>以后</em> 我们 会 有 一些 新 的
同事。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yǐhòu</em> wǒmen huì yǒu yīxiē xīn de
tóngshì.</span><span class="trans">We will have some new co-workers
in the future.</span>
- <em>以后</em> 你 可以 住 在
这里。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yǐhòu</em> nǐ kěyǐ zhù zài
zhèlǐ.</span><span class="trans">In the future, you can live
here.</span>
- 他们 <em>以后</em> 会 结婚 吗？<span class="pinyin">Tāmen
<em>yǐhòu</em> huì jiéhūn ma? </span><span class="trans">Will they
get married in the future? </span>
- 你 <em>以后</em> 不 要 跟 他 见面 了。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ
<em>yǐhòu</em> bùyào gēn tā jiànmiàn
le.</span><span class="trans">In the future, stop seeing him.</span>
</div>
See also
--------
- ["Before" in general]("Before"_in_general "wikilink")
- [After a specific time](After_a_specific_time "wikilink")
- [Before and after with "zhiqian" and
"zhihou"](Before_and_after_with_"zhiqian"_and_"zhihou" "wikilink")
- [Sequencing past events with
"houlai"](Sequencing_past_events_with_"houlai" "wikilink")
- [Expressing future with
"jiang"](Expressing_future_with_"jiang" "wikilink")
- [Comparing "yihou" and
"houlai"](Comparing_"yihou"_and_"houlai" "wikilink")
Sources and further reading
---------------------------
### Books
- [Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical
Guide](Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide "wikilink") (pp.
268)
[→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108)
- [Basic Patterns of Chinese
Grammar](Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar "wikilink") (pp. 26 - 27)
[→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899)
- [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2
(3rd ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed) "wikilink") (pp.
293-4)
[→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709)
[Category:A2 grammar points](Category:A2_grammar_points "wikilink")
[Category:A2 grammar points](Category:A2_grammar_points "wikilink")