HSK 1 grammar · new HSK syllabus
Where time words go
Time words go before the verb, either before or after the subject: 我明天去 / 明天我去.
Structure
- Time + subject + verb
- Subject + time + verb
How it works
In Chinese, when something happens comes before the action. The time word can go before or after the subject, but not at the end: 我明天去北京, 明天我去北京.
If you also say where, the order is time, then place, then action: 我明天在家看书.
Examples
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我明天去北京。
Wǒ míngtiān qù Běijīng.
I’m going to Beijing tomorrow.
-
昨天我没去学校。
Zuótiān wǒ méi qù xuéxiào.
I didn’t go to school yesterday.
-
我们下午三点见。
Wǒmen xiàwǔ sān diǎn jiàn.
Let’s meet at three this afternoon.
-
他每天早上喝茶。
Tā měi tiān zǎoshang hē chá.
He drinks tea every morning.
-
我星期六在家看书。
Wǒ xīngqī liù zài jiā kàn shū.
On Saturday I read at home.
Words in these examples (22)
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | HSK 1 |
| 明天 | míngtiān | tomorrow | HSK 1 |
| 去 | qù | to go | HSK 1 |
| 昨天 | zuótiān | yesterday | HSK 1 |
| 学校 | xuéxiào | school | HSK 1 |
| 我们 | wǒmen | we; us | HSK 1 |
| 下午 | xiàwǔ | afternoon | HSK 1 |
| 三 | sān | three | HSK 1 |
| 点 | diǎn | o'clock; (measure word) a little | HSK 1 |
| 见 | jiàn | to see; to meet | HSK 1 |
| 他 | tā | he; him | HSK 1 |
| 每 | měi | every; each | HSK 2 |
| 天 | tiān | day; sky | HSK 1 |
| 早上 | zǎoshang | morning | HSK 1 |
| 喝 | hē | to drink | HSK 1 |
| 茶 | chá | tea | HSK 1 |
| 星期 | xīngqī | week | HSK 1 |
| 六 | liù | six | HSK 1 |
| 在 | zài | to be at; at; in; (before a verb) in the middle of doing | HSK 1 |
| 家 | jiā | home; family; (measure word for shops and companies) | HSK 1 |
| 看 | kàn | to look; to watch; to read | HSK 1 |
| 书 | shū | book | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
-
✗我去北京明天。
✓我明天去北京。
Time comes before the verb.
-
✗我在家明天看书。
✓我明天在家看书。
Order: time, place, action.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 我 去商店。
2. 我们在学校见。
3. 他每天 工作。