ChineseGrammarWiki/MD/A2/35.mw.md

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, 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
• In the future in general
• Comparing "yihou" and "de shihou"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 24-5) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 293-4) →buy

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
• Before and after with "zhiqian" and "zhihou"
• Sequencing past events with "houlai"
• Expressing future with "jiang"
• Comparing "yihou" and "houlai"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 268) →buy
• Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 26 - 27) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 293-4) →buy

Category:A2 grammar points Category:A2 grammar points