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- === Sample Sentence Options === - Spaces -  Hide spaces between Chinese words - Pinyin -  Hide pinyin - Translations -  Hide translations

Expressing "when" with "dengdao" ================================

[](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/ASG68F61)

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Level

[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)

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Similar to

- [Complement with "dao"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Complement_with_%22dao%22) (B1) - [Expressing "all the way until" with "zhidao"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22all_the_way_until%22_with_%22zhidao%22) (B1)

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Used for

[Expressing time and date](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_time_and_date)

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Keywords

[等到](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%AD%89%E5%88%B0), [等](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%AD%89), [到](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%88%B0), [就](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%B0%B1), [再](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%86%8D), [才](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%89%8D)

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Translations

[when](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/When), [until](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Until)

[{width="300" height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki%EF%BC%8Ddeng.jpg)

The word 等到 (děngdào) can trip up learners, because while it can literally mean "wait until," it also has the less literal translation meaning "when (the time comes)" or "by the time." This is a pattern that appears in complex sentences, with 等到 acting as a [conjunction](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Conjunction) and appearing in the first part as the first word in the sentence.

Contents --------  [hide]([# "wikilink")\] 

- [1 Used for the Future](#Used_for_the_Future "wikilink") - [1.1 Structure](#Structure "wikilink") - [1.2 Examples](#Examples "wikilink") - [2 Used for the Past](#Used_for_the_Past "wikilink") - [2.1 Structure](#Structure_2 "wikilink") - [2.2 Examples](#Examples_2 "wikilink") - [3 See also](#See_also "wikilink") - [4 Sources and further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink") - [4.1 Books](#Books "wikilink")

Used for the Future ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Structure

等(到) + Time / Event ，Subj. + 再 / 就 + Predicate

The [predicate](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Predicate) part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective. ### Examples

- *等到* 你 感觉 不 舒服 **就** 晚 了。*Děngdào* nǐ gǎnjué bù shūfu **jiù** wǎn le.It will be too late when you start feeling not well. - *等* 雨 停 了 我 **再** 出门 。*Děng* yǔ tíng le wǒ **zài** chūmén.When the rain stops, then I will go outside. - *等到* 秋天 ，这些 树叶 **就** 会 变 黄 。*Děngdào* qiūtiān, zhèxiē shùyè **jiù** huì biàn huáng.When it is autumn, the leaves will have already become yellow. - *等* 做完 这个 项目 ，我 **就** 休假 。*Děng* zuò wán zhège xiàngmù, wǒ **jiù** xiūjià.I will take a vacation when I complete doing this project. - *等到* 老板 签 了 字 ，我 **再** 做 安排 。*Děngdào* lǎobǎn qiān le zì, wǒ **zài** zuò ānpái.I will make arrangements when the boss signs the paper.

Used for the Past ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Structure

等(到) + Time / Event ，Subj. + 才 + Predicate

### Examples

- *等* 我 回 了 家 ，**才** 发现 手机 忘 在 了 出租车 上 。*Děng* wǒ huí le jiā, **cái** fāxiàn shǒujī wàng zài le chūzūchē shàng.I didn't realize I left my cellphone in the taxi until I got home. - *等到* 孩子 上 了 小学 ，她 **才** 开始 工作 。*Děngdào* háizi shàng le xiǎoxué, tā **cái** kāishǐ gōngzuò.She didn't start working until her children went to elementary school. - *等* 学生 都 安静 了 ，老师 **才** 开始 上课 。*Děng* xuéshēng dōu ānjìng le, lǎoshī **cái** kāishǐ shàngkè.The teacher didn't begin the class until the students all became quiet. - *等* 他 有 了 孩子 ，**才** 知道 做 父母 多么 不 容易 。*Děng* tā yǒu le háizi, **cái** zhīdào zuò fùmǔ duōme bù róngyì.It wasn't until he had a child that he realized how hard it is to be a parent. - *等到* 他 到 家 了 ，**才** 发现 他 没有 带 钥匙 。*Děngdào* tā de le áizhèng, **cái** yìshí dào jiànkāng yǒu duō bǎoguì.It wasn't until he got home that he found that he didn't have his keys.

See also ------------------------------------------------------- - [Complement with "dao"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Complement_with_%22dao%22) - [Expressing "all the way until" with "zhidao"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22all_the_way_until%22_with_%22zhidao%22) Sources and further reading --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Books

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[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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