“Usually” and “sometimes” in Chinese

Posted on by tiffany

OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 1
Grammar Point · HSK 1

常常 chángcháng and 有时 yǒushí

To express frequency adverbs “usually/often” and “sometimes” in Chinese, we use 常常 chángcháng and 有时 yǒushí.

Usually and sometimes in Chinese

Frequency adverbs in Chinese sit before the verb or adjective (never at the very end of a sentence!). Use 常常 chángcháng for frequent actions, 常 cháng for negative frequency (不常), and 有时 yǒushí for “sometimes.”

1 Structure

S + 常常 chángcháng + VO

常常 chángcháng (often, usually) refers to a behavior that occurs frequently. It cannot be used in the negative form (do not say “不常常”).

我wǒ常常chángcháng觉得juéde他tā很hěn笨bèn。
I often think he is dumb.
你nǐ常常chángcháng在zài上课shàngkè的时候deshíhou睡觉shuìjiào吗ma？
Do you often sleep during class?
我wǒ常常chángcháng忘记wàngjì新xīn朋友péngyou的de名字míngzi。
I often forget new friends’ names.
老师lǎoshī常常chángcháng拉肚子lādùzi。
The teacher often has diarrhea.
💬 FYI — Saying “diarrhea” in Chinese

When explaining your condition to a doctor or friends, avoid clinical terms like 腹泻 fùxiè. Instead, use the casual, natural phrase 拉肚子 lādùzi!

S + 常 cháng + VO

常 cháng indicates a behavior occurs more than once. Unlike 常常, single **常 cháng can be used in the negative form (不常 bù cháng = not often)**.

我wǒ常cháng在zài早上zǎoshang喝hē一杯yìbēi咖啡kāfēi。
I often have a cup of coffee in the morning.
我的wǒde狗gǒu常cháng在zài我的wǒde脚上jiǎoshang睡觉shuìjiào。
My dog often sleeps on my feet.
她tā不bù常cháng吃chī早饭zǎofàn。
She doesn’t often eat breakfast.
你nǐ常cháng练习liànxí中文zhōngwén吗ma？
Do you often practice Chinese?

S + 有时 yǒushí + VO

有时 yǒushí means “sometimes” or “at times.” It **cannot be used in negative form**, and is uncommon in question form.

他tā有时yǒushí晚上wǎnshang上课shàngkè。
He sometimes has evening classes.
我wǒ有时yǒushí觉得juéde做人zuòrén很hěn累lèi。
Sometimes I feel tired of living.
猫māo很hěn可爱kěài，但是dànshì有时yǒushí真的zhēnde很hěn奇怪qíguài。
Cats are cute, but sometimes they can be really strange.
有时yǒushí我wǒ喜欢xǐhuan看kàn电影diànyǐng，有时yǒushí我wǒ喜欢xǐhuan看书kànshū。
Sometimes I like to watch movies, and other times I like to read books.

2 Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01In Taiwan, I don’t often speak English.
在zài台湾Táiwān我wǒ不bù常cháng说shuō英文yīngwén。
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02In Canada, I frequently speak English.
在zài加拿大Jiānádà我wǒ常常chángcháng说shuō英文yīngwén。
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03At Chinese restaurants in Canada, I sometimes speak Chinese.
在zài加拿大Jiānádà的de中国餐厅Zhōngguó cāntīng，我wǒ有时yǒushí说shuō中文zhōngwén。
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04He often drinks coffee in the morning.
他tā常常chángcháng在zài早上zǎoshang喝hē咖啡kāfēi。
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05I don’t often watch movies at home.
我wǒ不bù常cháng在zài我家wǒjiā看kàn电影diànyǐng。
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06Sometimes she cooks, and sometimes she eats out.
她tā有时yǒushí做饭zuòfàn，有时yǒushí在zài外面wàimian吃饭chīfàn。
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07Do you often go to the gym on weekends?
你nǐ周末zhōumò常常chángcháng去qù健身房jiànshēnfáng吗ma？
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08My younger sister often forgets her phone.
妹妹mèimei常常chángcháng忘记wàngjì带dài手机shǒujī。
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09Sometimes it rains here in summer.
这里zhèlǐ夏天xiàtiān有时yǒushí下雨xiàyǔ。
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10We don’t often drink tea at night.
我们wǒmen晚上wǎnshang不bù常cháng喝茶hēchá。
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