Time Expression – de shíhou

Grammar Point:
The time expression grammar “…的時候的时候 de shíhòudeshíhou” is similar to the English phrase “when something happens.” It can be used to talk about things that happen at a particular time. To use it, simply attach it to the word or phrase indicating the time.

Sentence structure

Time Word or description + 的時候/的时候

我wǒ工作gōngzuò的de時候shíhòu常常chángcháng喝hē咖啡kāfēi我wǒ工作gōngzuò的de时候shíhou常常chángcháng喝hē咖啡kāfēi
I usually drink coffee when I work.

吃飯chīfàn的de時候shíhòu不要búyào說話shuōhuà吃饭chīfàn的de时候shíhou不要búyào说话shuōhuà
Don’t talk when you are eating.

我wǒ小xiǎo(的)(de)時候shíhòu想xiǎng當dāng外星人wàixīngrén我wǒ小xiǎo(的)(de)时候shíhou想xiǎng当dāng外星人wàixīngrén
When I was a child, I wanted to become an alien.
(This is true…)

Description can also be a Stative Verb

你nǐ緊張jǐnzhāng的de時候shíhòu會huì做zuò什麼shénme？ 你nǐ紧张jǐnzhāng的de时候shíhou会huì做zuò什么shénme？
What do you do when you are nervous?

生氣shēngqì的de時候shíhòu不要búyào做zuò決定juédìng生气shēngqì的de时候shíhou不要búyào做zuò决定juédìng
Don’t make any decision when you are angry.

難過nánguò的de時候shíhòu就jiù哭kū出來chūlái吧ba难过nánguò的de时候shíhou就jiù哭kū出来chūlái吧ba
When you feel sad, just cry it out.

Where is the Subject?

Here, you may notice that some of the sentences above have no subject. This is because in Mandarin Chinese, when giving suggestions or commands, it is quite common to omit the subject.

你nǐ生氣shēngqì的de時候shíhòu不要búyào做zuò決定juédìng你nǐ生气shēngqì的de时候shíhou不要búyào做zuò决定juédìng
Don’t make any decisions when you are angry.

➡️ 生氣shēngqì的de時候shíhòu不要búyào做zuò決定juédìng生气shēngqì的de时候shíhou不要búyào做zuò决定juédìng
Don’t make any decisions when you are angry.

妳nǐ吃飯chīfàn的de時候shíhòu不要búyào說話shuōhuà妳nǐ吃饭chīfàn的de时候shíhou不要búyào说话shuōhuà
Don’t talk when you are eating.

➡️ 吃飯chīfàn的de時候shíhòu不要búyào說話shuōhuà吃饭chīfàn的de时候shíhou不要búyào说话shuōhuà
Don’t talk when you are eating.

Compare with English

In English, you can place the “when” part either at the beginning of the sentence or after the comma, like this:

When you are nervous, what do you do?
What do you do when you are nervous?

But in Chinese, “…的時候的时候 de shíhòude shíhou” is considered a time word, and is typically used before the subject or directly after it. Therefore:

你nǐ緊張jǐnzhāng的de時候shíhòu會huì做zuò什麼shénme？ 你nǐ紧张jǐnzhāng的de时候shíhou会huì做zuò什么shénme？ O

緊張jǐnzhāng的de時候shíhòu你nǐ會huì做zuò什麼shénme？ 紧张jǐnzhāng的de时候shíhou你nǐ会huì做zuò什么shénme？ O

你nǐ會huì做zuò什麼shénme緊張jǐnzhāng的de時候shíhòu？ 你nǐ会huì做zuò什么shénme紧张jǐnzhāng的de时候shíhou？ X

When it is written or in formal situations

的時候的时候 de shíhòude shíhou will be shortened to simply 時时 shí

開會kāihuì的de時候shíhòu不要búyào聊天liáotiān开会kāihuì的de时候shíhou不要búyào聊天liáotiān
Don’t chat when you are in the meeting.

➡️ 開會kāihuì時shí不要búyào聊天liáotiān开会kāihuì时shí不要búyào聊天liáotiān
Don’t chat when you are in the meeting.

去年qùnián太太tàitai生日shēngrì時shí我wǒ做zuò了le個ge蛋糕dàngāo去年qùnián太太tàitai生日shēngrì时shí我wǒ做zuò了le个ge蛋糕dàngāo
I made a cake when it was my wife’s birthday last year.

• Use 當当 dāng to express “when” (HSK 2)