HSK 3 grammar · new HSK syllabus
才 or 就: late or early
才 = later or harder than expected; 就 = earlier or easier than expected.
Structure
- Time + 才 + verb (late, slow)
- Time + 就 + verb + 了 (early, quick)
How it works
Both go after a time word and before the verb, but they show opposite feelings.
才 says it happened later than expected: 他十点才起床 = he didn’t get up until ten. 才 sentences don’t take 了.
就 says it happened earlier than expected: 他六点就起床了 = he was up by six. 就 sentences usually take 了.
Examples
-
他十点才起床。
Tā shí diǎn cái qǐchuáng.
He didn’t get up until ten.
-
他六点就起床了。
Tā liù diǎn jiù qǐchuáng le.
He was already up at six.
-
电影七点开始，他七点半才来。
Diànyǐng qī diǎn kāishǐ, tā qī diǎn bàn cái lái.
The film started at seven; he only arrived at half seven.
-
我学了三年才学会。
Wǒ xué le sān nián cái xué huì.
It took me three years to learn it.
-
他学了一个月就会了。
Tā xué le yí gè yuè jiù huì le.
He learned it in just a month.
Words in these examples (21)
| 他 | tā | he; him | HSK 1 |
| 十 | shí | ten | HSK 1 |
| 点 | diǎn | o'clock; (measure word) a little | HSK 1 |
| 才 | cái | only then; only; just | HSK 3 |
| 起床 | qǐchuáng | to get up (out of bed) | HSK 1 |
| 六 | liù | six | HSK 1 |
| 就 | jiù | then; just; right away; only | HSK 2 |
| 了 | le | (particle marking a completed action or a change) | HSK 1 |
| 电影 | diànyǐng | film; movie | HSK 1 |
| 七 | qī | seven | HSK 1 |
| 开始 | kāishǐ | to begin; to start | HSK 2 |
| 半 | bàn | half | HSK 1 |
| 来 | lái | to come | HSK 1 |
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | HSK 1 |
| 学 | xué | to learn; to study | HSK 1 |
| 三 | sān | three | HSK 1 |
| 年 | nián | year | HSK 1 |
| 会 | huì | can; to know how to | HSK 1 |
| 一 | yī | one | HSK 1 |
| 个 | gè | (general measure word) | HSK 1 |
| 月 | yuè | month; moon | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
-
✗他十点才起床了。
✓他十点才起床。
才 sentences don’t take 了.
-
✗他才十点起床。
✓他十点才起床。
才 follows the time word.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 会议九点开始，他九点半 到。
2. 他学了一个星期 会做了。
3. 我等了一个小时，他才 。