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:
(Subj.) + Verb / Adj. + 的 时候, ....
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:
Time Word + 的 时候, ....
Examples
--------
- 你 不 在 的时候，我 会 想
你。Nǐ bù zài de
shíhou, wǒ huì xiǎng nǐ.When you
are not here, I'll miss you.
- 我 上 大学 的时候，有 很 多 朋友。
Wǒ shàng dàxué de
shíhou, yǒu hěn duō péngyou.When
I was in college, I had a lot of friends.
- 上课 的时候 不要 吃
东西。Shàngkè de
shíhou bùyào chī dōngxi.Don't
eat when you are in class.
- 老板 工作 的时候 喜欢 喝
咖啡。Lǎobǎn gōngzuò de
shíhou xǐhuan hē kāfēi.When the
boss works, he likes to drink coffee.
- 我 生气 的时候，请 你 不要
笑。Wǒ shēngqì de
shíhou, qǐng nǐ bùyào
xiào.Please don't laugh when I'm
angry.
- 妈妈 不 在 家 的时候，我 自己
做饭。Māma bù zài jiā de
shíhou, wǒ zìjǐ zuòfàn.When mom
is not home, I cook for myself.
- 开会 的时候 不要
聊天。Kāihuì de
shíhou bùyào liáotiān.Don't chat
when you are in a meeting.
- 吃 东西 的时候 不要
说话。Chī dōngxi de
shíhou bùyào shuōhuà.Don't talk
when eating.
- 你 开车 的时候 会 打 电话
吗？Nǐ kāichē de
shíhou huì dǎ diànhuà ma? Do you
talk on the phone when you're driving?
- 走路 的时候 不要
玩手机。 Zǒulù de
shíhou bùyào wán shǒujī.Don't
play with your phone while walking.
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:
以后 + Subj. + Verb + Obj.
You can also move 以后 (yǐhòu) to right after the subject, and it's also
correct.
Subj. + 以后 + Verb + Obj.
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.
- 以后 你们 会 想我 吗？ Yǐhòu
nǐmen huì xiǎng wǒ ma? In the future,
will you miss me?
- 以后 你 想 来 中国 吗？ Yǐhòu
nǐ xiǎng lái Zhōngguó ma? In the future,
do you want to come to China?
- 我 以后 不 喝酒 了。 Wǒ yǐhòu
bù hējiǔ le.I will not drink alcohol in
the future.
- 我们 以后 不 在 这里 工作 了。Wǒmen
yǐhòu bù zài zhèlǐ gōngzuò le.We
will not work here in the future.
- 你儿子 以后 想 做 什么？Nǐ érzi
yǐhòu xiǎng zuò shénme? In the
future, what does your son want to do?
- 以后 你们 想 去哪儿 工作？
Yǐhòu nǐmen xiǎng qù nǎr gōngzuò?
In the future, where would you like to
work?
- 以后 我们 会 有 一些 新 的
同事。Yǐhòu wǒmen huì yǒu yīxiē xīn de
tóngshì.We will have some new co-workers
in the future.
- 以后 你 可以 住 在
这里。Yǐhòu nǐ kěyǐ zhù zài
zhèlǐ.In the future, you can live
here.
- 他们 以后 会 结婚 吗？Tāmen
yǐhòu huì jiéhūn ma? Will they
get married in the future?
- 你 以后 不 要 跟 他 见面 了。Nǐ
yǐhòu bùyào gēn tā jiànmiàn
le.In the future, stop seeing him.
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")