“Usually” and “sometimes” in Chinese

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OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 3
Grammar Point · HSK 3

常常 chángcháng / 有时 yǒushí — “Usually” and “Sometimes”

To talk about how often something happens, Chinese reaches for 常常 chángcháng (“often”), 常 cháng (“often,” negatable), and 有时 yǒushí (“sometimes”) — three close cousins with different rules.

常常 / 有時 — Usually and Sometimes, Chinese grammar

All three sit before the verb, and unlike English, frequency adverbs in Chinese are typically not placed at the end of a sentence.

1Structure

S + 常常 chángcháng + VO

Refers to a behavior or action that occurs frequently, with short intervals between occurrences. It cannot be used in the negative form.

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课堂kètáng上shàng睡觉shuìjiào吗ma？
Do you often sleep during class?
我wǒ常常chángcháng忘记wàngjì新xīn朋友péngyǒu的de名字míngzi。
I often forget new friends’ names.
老师lǎoshī常常chángcháng拉lā肚子dùzi。
The teacher often has diarrhea.
FYI

Many foreigners encounter stomach issues in China or Taiwan due to differences in food. When explaining your condition to a doctor, colleagues, or friends, it’s best to steer clear of the medical term 腹泻 fùxiè (“diarrhea”) found in dictionaries — the more casual, commonly used term is 拉肚子 lādùzi.

Is it oversharing to tell friends, teachers, or colleagues about a bout of diarrhea? In Chinese culture, it’s actually perfectly acceptable, even encouraged — letting people know means they can offer help and show concern.

S + 常 cháng + VO

Indicates a behavior occurs more than once; it can also mean ordinary, common, or long-lasting. Unlike 常常, it CAN be used in the negative form.

我wǒ早上zǎoshàng常cháng喝hē一yì杯bēi咖啡kāfēi。
I often have a cup of coffee in the morning.
我wǒ的de狗gǒu常cháng睡shuì在zài我wǒ的de脚jiǎo上shàng。
My dog often sleeps on my feet.
她tā不bù常cháng吃chī早餐zǎocān。
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

Means “sometimes” or “at times” — something occurs occasionally or intermittently. It cannot be negated, and is also uncommon in question form.

他tā有时yǒushí有yǒu晚上wǎnshàng的de课kè。
He sometimes has evening classes.
有时yǒushí我wǒ觉得juéde活着huózhe很hěn累lèi。
Sometimes I feel tired of living.
猫māo很hěn可爱kěài，但是dànshì有时候yǒushíhòu它们tāmen真的zhēnde很hěn奇怪qíguài。
Cats are cute, but sometimes they can be really strange.
有时候yǒushíhòu我wǒ喜欢xǐhuan看kàn电影diànyǐng，有时候yǒushíhòu我wǒ喜欢xǐhuan看kàn书shū。
Sometimes I like to watch movies, and other times I like to read books.

2Practice

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。
👆 Tap to reveal
02In Canada, I frequently speak English.
在zài加拿大Jiānádà，我wǒ常常chángcháng说shuō英文Yīngwén。
👆 Tap to reveal
03At Chinese restaurants in Canada, I sometimes speak Chinese.
在zài加拿大Jiānádà的de中zhōng餐厅cāntīng，我wǒ有时候yǒushíhòu说shuō中文zhōngwén。
👆 Tap to reveal
04My teacher often gives us pop quizzes.
我wǒ的de老师lǎoshī常常chángcháng给gěi我们wǒmen小考xiǎokǎo。
👆 Tap to reveal
05He doesn’t often go to the gym.
他tā不bù常cháng去qù健身房jiànshēnfáng。
👆 Tap to reveal
06Sometimes I forget to lock the door.
有时候yǒushíhòu我wǒ会huì忘记wàngjì锁suǒ门mén。
👆 Tap to reveal
07Do you often cook at home?
你nǐ常常chángcháng在zài家jiā做饭zuòfàn吗ma？
👆 Tap to reveal
08Sometimes she goes to bed very early.
她tā有时候yǒushíhòu很hěn早zǎo睡觉shuìjiào。
👆 Tap to reveal

Related Grammar

→常 & 经常 — “Often”(HSK 2) →“Repeatedly” in Chinese — 一再 yīzài, 再三 zàisān(HSK 6)

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