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[](http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1286538933)
[](# "wikilink")
Expressing "when" with "shi"
============================
[](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/ASGGL59D)
-
Level
[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)
-
Similar to
- [Expressing "when" with "de
shihou"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22when%22_with_%22de_shihou%22) (A2)
-
Used for
[Expressing time and
date](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_time_and_date),
[Referring to simultaneous
events](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Referring_to_simultaneous_events)
-
Keywords
[时](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%97%B6),
[时候](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%97%B6%E5%80%99),
[的时候](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%9A%84%E6%97%B6%E5%80%99)
-
Translations
[when](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/When),
[while](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/While)
[{width="300"
height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-shi3.jpg)
Contents
--------
[hide]([# "wikilink")\]
- [1
Structure](#Structure "wikilink")
- [2
Examples](#Examples "wikilink")
- [3 See
also](#See_also "wikilink")
- [4 Sources and
further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink")
- [4.1
Books](#Books "wikilink")
Verb-Obj. + 时 ，Subj. ⋯⋯
As time words can appear [before or after the
subject](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Time_words_and_word_order),
you can also place the *Verb-Obj. + 时* after the subject.
There are two great examples of this pattern in the poem below:
你
一会儿看我
一会儿看云
你看我时很远
你看云时很近
Examples
-------------------------------------------------------
- 考试 *时* 不要 说话 。Kǎoshì *shí* bùyào
shuōhuà.Don't talk when you take a
test.
- 我 面试 *时* 经常 会 问 这个 问题 。Wǒ miànshì
*shí* jīngcháng huì wèn zhège wèntí.I
often ask this question in a job interview.
- 会议 结束 *时* 老板 才 来 。Huìyì jiéshù *shí*
lǎobǎn cái lái.The boss didn't show up
until the meeting was over.
- 我 生气 *时* 不 想 说话 。Wǒ shēngqì *shí* bù
xiǎng shuōhuà.I don't want to talk when
I'm angry.
- 他们 大学 毕业 *时* 就 分手 了 。Tāmen dàxué
bìyè *shí* jiù fēnshǒu le.They broke up
when they graduated from college.
- 飞机 起飞 *时* ，他 关 了 手机 和 电脑 。Fēijī
qǐfēi *shí*, tā guān le shǒujī hé
diànnǎo.When the plane took off, he
turned off his cell phone and computer.
- 他 太太 提出 离婚 *时* ，他 很 惊讶 。Tā tàitai
tíchū líhūn *shí*, tā hěn jīngyà.He was
very surprised when his wife asked for a divorce.
- 他 去世 *时* ，他 的 孩子 都 不 在 身边 。Tā
qùshì *shí*, tā de háizi dōu bù zài
shēnbiān.His children weren't with him
when he passed away.
- 我们 公司 成立 *时* 只有 三 个 人 。Wǒmen
gōngsī chénglì *shí* zhǐyǒu sān gè
rén.There were only three people when
this company was founded.
- 跟 别人 说话 *时* 不要 玩 手机 。Gēn biérén
shuōhuà *shí* bùyào wán shǒujī.Don't play
with your cell phone when you talk with other people.
See also
-------------------------------------------------------
- [Before a specific
time](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Before_a_specific_time)
- [In the future in
general](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/In_the_future_in_general)
- [Comparing "yihou" and "de
shihou"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Comparing_%22yihou%22_and_%22de_shihou%22)
Sources and further reading
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Books
- [Basic Patterns of Chinese
Grammar](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar) (pp.
24-5) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2ykU1OD)
- [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2
(3rd ed)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed)) (pp.
293-4) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2femBuy)
[Category](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories):
- [B1 grammar
points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points)
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