Introduction
的时候 (de shíhou) means "when" or "while". It attaches to the end of the clause it belongs to, and that whole block comes first in the sentence: 我小的时候，很喜欢画画。(Wǒ xiǎo de shíhou, hěn xǐhuan huàhuà.) — When I was little, I loved drawing.
Overview
Structure: [Clause] + 的时候 (de shíhou) + [Main clause]
| Pattern | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Adj + 的时候 | 我小的时候 (wǒ xiǎo de shíhou) | when I was little |
| V + 的时候 | 吃饭的时候 (chī fàn de shíhou) | while eating |
| V + O + 的时候 | 我看书的时候 (wǒ kàn shū de shíhou) | when I read |
| Time word + 的时候 | 周末的时候 (zhōumò de shíhou) | at the weekend |
| ……的时候，…… | 下雨的时候，我不出去。(Xià yǔ de shíhou, wǒ bù chūqù.) | When it rains, I don't go out. |
的时候 (de shíhou) goes at the END of its clause:
- ✓ 我吃饭的时候看手机。(Wǒ chī fàn de shíhou kàn shǒujī.) — I look at my phone while eating.
- ❌ 的时候我吃饭，看手机。(De shíhou wǒ chī fàn, kàn shǒujī.) — English puts "when" first; Chinese puts it last, inside the clause.
- The time block comes first in the sentence, then a comma, then the main clause.
- 时候 (shíhou) is neutral tone on the second syllable — shíhou, not shíhòu.
Examples
我小的时候很喜欢画画。
Wǒ xiǎo de shíhou hěn xǐhuan huàhuà.
When I was little I loved drawing.
吃饭的时候别看手机。
Chī fàn de shíhou bié kàn shǒujī.
Don't look at your phone while eating.
下雨的时候，我不想出去。
Xià yǔ de shíhou, wǒ bù xiǎng chūqù.
When it rains, I don't want to go out.
我给你打电话的时候，你在睡觉。
Wǒ gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà de shíhou, nǐ zài shuìjiào.
When I rang you, you were asleep.
周末的时候我常常在家。
Zhōumò de shíhou wǒ chángcháng zài jiā.
At weekends I'm usually at home.
你什么时候来？
Nǐ shénme shíhou lái?
When are you coming?
Usage Notes
- 什么时候 (shénme shíhou) is the question word "when": 你什么时候走？(Nǐ shénme shíhou zǒu?) — When are you leaving? It sits before the verb, like all time expressions.
- Do not confuse 什么时候 (shénme shíhou) — when — with 几点 (jǐ diǎn) — at what clock time. 几点 asks for an hour; 什么时候 asks for any point in time.
- The comma after the time block is normal but not compulsory in short sentences: 下雨的时候我不出去。(Xià yǔ de shíhou wǒ bù chūqù.)
- 的时候 (de shíhou) covers both a moment and a stretch of time — "when" and "while" are the same in Chinese.
- 以前 (yǐqián) — before — and 以后 (yǐhòu) — after — attach in exactly the same way, at the end of their clause.