Time / Verb + 时 (when …)
At the moment when…
- "When I was little", "when you arrive" — pin an action to a time.
- Chinese can use …o'clock时 = "at the time of / when".
- in one's childhood小时候 (when young), I / me我来时 (when I come).
Time / Verb + o'clock时
- [Action] + o'clock时 = "when [that happens]".
I我come来when时，he他not不be in在。
- I / me我来时，he / him他not不at / in在 = "when I came, he wasn't in."
Practice
When I came, he wasn't in: 我来 ____，他不在。
Verb + 时 = when that happens: 我来时,他不在.
Practice
Build: “When I came, he wasn't in.”
[Verb + 时]，Subj + Predicate: 我来时 + 他 + 不在.
o'clock时 vs (of / 's)的time时候
- …o'clock时 is the shorter, more formal form of …(of / 's)的time时候 ("when").
Explore
Correct or broken?
X + 时 is the written little brother of 的时候 — event + 时, no 的.
Practice
…时 is a shorter, more formal version of which phrase?
…时 = the compact form of …的时候 (when).
Practice
…时 means “after”, like 以后.
…时 = “when / at the time of”, not “after”.
Recap
Key idea
- … o'clock时 — "when / at the time of": I / me我来时, to have a meal吃饭o'clock时
- A shorter, more formal version of …(of / 's)的time时候
- I / me我来时，he / him他not不at / in在
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Nouns.