Using 的时候 and 时 || Expressing When in Chinese [A2]

Q: What are some sentences with 的时候？

– 我小的时候去过北京。 wǒ xiǎo de shíhòu qùguò běijīng. I went to Beijing when I was young. – 雨停了的时候，我们就回家。 yǔ tíngle de shíhòu, wǒmen jiù huí jiā. When it stops raining, we’ll go home. – 在北京的时候，我把手机丢了。 zài běijīng de shíhòu, wǒ bǎ shǒujī diūle. I lost my phone when I was in Beijing.

Q: What are some example sentences with 时？

– 过马路时要小心。 guò mǎlù shí yào xiǎoxīn. Be careful when crossing the road. – 她生气时别打扰她。 tā shēngqì shí bié dǎrǎo tā Don’t bother her when she’s angry. – 她年轻时很漂亮。 tā niánqīng shí hěn piàoliang. She was beautiful when she was young.

Home HSK 2 Expressing “when” with 的时候 & 时

WHEN WITH 的时候 AND 时

Have you ever wanted to say “when I was a child” or “when I was in university” but don’t know how?

We will teach you how to use 的时候 (de shíhòu) and 时 (shí) to say “when”; one of the common ways to say “when” in Chinese.

“WHEN” WITH 的时候

As you’re speaking, you’ll often use 的时候 to talk about a time of an event; when it happens or is happening like “when I go to school” or “when I was younger”.

的时候 might be used after the subject and verb/adjective (or after a time phrase) to talk about something that occurred during a particular time.

PATTERN

Subject + Verb/Adjective + 的时候

^{wǒ xiǎo de shíhòu qùguò běijīng.}

我小的时候去过北京。

_{I went to Beijing when I was young.}

^{nǐ xiǎng zǒu de shíhòu nǐ kěyǐ zǒu.}

你想走的时候你可以走。

_{You can leave when you want.}

View More Phrases

chinese	pinyin	english
她生气的时候，别打扰她。	tā shēngqì de shíhòu, bié dǎrǎo tā.	Don’t bother her when she’s angry.
无聊的时候，我要玩手机。	wúliáo de shíhòu, wǒ yào wán shǒujī.	When I’m bored, I play with my phone.
雨停了的时候，我们就回家。	yǔ tíngle de shíhòu, wǒmen jiù huí jiā.	When it stops raining, we’ll go home.

PATTERN

Time Word/Phrase + 的时候

^{èrshíbā suì de shíhòu, tā jiéhūnle.}

二十八岁的时候，她结婚了。

_{She got married when she was 28.}

View More Phrases

chinese	pinyin	english
在北京的时候，我把手机丢了。	zài běijīng de shíhòu, wǒ bǎ shǒujī diūle.	I lost my phone when I was in Beijing.
他高中的时候，他有点儿胖。	tā gāozhōng de shíhòu, tā yǒudiǎn er pàng.	He was a bit fat when he was in high school.
开车的时候，他常常打电话。	kāichē de shíhòu, tā chángcháng dǎ diànhuà.	He often talks on phone while driving.
她听到这首歌的时候，她开始哭。	tā tīng dào zhè shǒu gē de shíhòu, tā kāishǐ kū.	She started crying when she heard this song.

“WHEN” WITH 时

Using 时 (shí) is similar to using 的时候. 时 is a shorter and more formal way to express when.

时 is added after a time to say when something happens, is happening or happened. Here the subject can come before or after a time and 时.

PATTERN

(Subject) + Time + 时 (+ Subject)

^{qiūtiān shí yèzi biàn huáng.}

秋天时叶子变黄。

_{The leaves turn yellow when it’s autumn.}

^{tā pǎobù shí tīng yīnyuè.}

他跑步时听音乐。

_{He listens to music when he’s running.}

View More Phrases

chinese	pinyin	english
她生气时别打扰她。	tā shēngqì shí bié dǎrǎo tā	Don’t bother her when she’s angry.
四十五岁时他换了工作。	sìshíwǔ suì shí tā huànle gōngzuò.	He changed jobs when he was forty five years old.
她年轻时很漂亮。	tā niánqīng shí hěn piàoliang.	She was beautiful when she was young.
看到她时她看起来很好	kàn dào tā shí tā kàn qǐlái hěn hǎ.	She looked good when I saw her.
她跟别人说话时她玩手机。	tā gēn biérén shuōhuà shí tā wán shǒujī.	She plays with her phone when she’s talking to other people.
过马路时要小心。	guò mǎlù shí yào xiǎoxīn.	Be careful when crossing the road.
你来时我已经出门了。	nǐ lái shí wǒ yǐjīng chūménle.	I was already out when you came.

USING 当 WITH 的时候 AND 时

当 (dāng) can be added before a phrase to mean “when”. Here, 的时候 or 时 may be added after the phrase or left out.

PATTERN

当 + Phrase + (的时候 / 时)

^{dāng tā shēngqì shí, bié dǎrǎo tā.}

当她生气时，别打扰她。

_{Don’t bother her when she’s angry.}

^{dāng wǒ zhǎng dà shí, wǒ xiǎng qù zhōngguó lǚxíng.}

当我长大时，我想去中国旅行。

_{When I grow up, I want to travel to China.}

View More Phrases

chinese	pinyin	english
当我见到我的男朋友，我觉得他长得很帅。	dāng wǒ jiàn dào wǒ de nán péngyǒu, wǒ juédé tā zhǎng dé hěn shuài.	When I met my boyfriend, I thought he was very handsome.
当他吃的时候，他不要跟他说话。	dāng tā chī de shíhòu, tā bùyào gēn tā shuōhuà.	Don’t talk to him when he is eating.
当我们见面，你觉得我多大？	dāng wǒmen jiànmiàn, nǐ juédé wǒ duōdà?	When we met, how old did you think I was?

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FAQs

What is the sentence structure for 的时候?

的时候 can go with verbs, adjectives and time words or phrases.

With verbs/adjectives: Subject + Verb/Adjective + 的时候

With time words/phrases: Time word/phrase + 的时候

What is the sentence structure for 时?

时 can be used with time and the subject can come before of after it.

Before: Subject + Time + 时

After: Time + 时 + Subject

What are some sentences with 的时候？

– 我小的时候去过北京。

wǒ xiǎo de shíhòu qùguò běijīng.

I went to Beijing when I was young.

– 雨停了的时候，我们就回家。

yǔ tíngle de shíhòu, wǒmen jiù huí jiā.

When it stops raining, we’ll go home.

– 在北京的时候，我把手机丢了。

zài běijīng de shíhòu, wǒ bǎ shǒujī diūle.

I lost my phone when I was in Beijing.

What are some example sentences with 时？

– 过马路时要小心。

guò mǎlù shí yào xiǎoxīn.

Be careful when crossing the road.

– 她生气时别打扰她。

tā shēngqì shí bié dǎrǎo tā

Don’t bother her when she’s angry.

– 她年轻时很漂亮。

tā niánqīng shí hěn piàoliang.

She was beautiful when she was young.

How to use 当 with 的时候 or 时?

当 is put before a phrase and 的时候/时 is put after the phrase to mean “when”. 的时候/时 may be left out.

当 + phrase + (的时候/时)

– 当过马路的时候要小心。

guò mǎlù shí yào xiǎoxīn.

Be careful when crossing the road.

– 当我长大时，我想去中国旅行。

dāng wǒ zhǎng dà shí, wǒ xiǎng qù zhōngguó lǚxíng.

When I grow up, I want to travel to China.

– 当她生气时别打扰她。

tā shēngqì shí bié dǎrǎo tā

Don’t bother her when she’s angry.

Where can I find more grammar lessons?

There are more Chinese grammar lessons like this one in our Chinese Grammar Bank.

If our list doesn’t include the grammar point you are looking for, feel free to contact us to request it.

Chinese Grammar Bank

WHEN WITH 的时候 AND 时

“WHEN” WITH 的时候

PATTERN

PATTERN

“WHEN” WITH 时

PATTERN

USING 当 WITH 的时候 AND 时

PATTERN

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