Time Expressions as Adverbials
A time expression such as 明天 (tomorrow) or 现在 (now) goes before the verb, or at the very start of the sentence, never after the verb as in English. Pattern: subject + time word + verb, as in 我明天去.
Pattern: Subject + Time Expression + Verb + Object
❌ 我去学校明天。(wrong — time at end)
✅ 我明天去学校。(correct — time before verb)
Time words can also come at the very start of the sentence:
✅ 明天我去学校。
HSK 1 time words: 今天 (today), 明天 (tomorrow), 昨天 (yesterday), 现在 (now), 早上 (morning), 晚上 (evening), 上午 (late morning), 下午 (afternoon)
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 我今天去学校。 | Wǒ jīn tiān qù xué xiào. | I go to school today. | Time word 今天 comes after subject, before verb 去 |
| 她明天不来。 | Tā míng tiān bù lái. | She is not coming tomorrow. | Negation 不 comes after time word, before verb |
| 昨天我们吃了很多东西。 | Zuó tiān wǒ men chī le hěn duō dōng xi. | Yesterday we ate a lot of things. | Time at sentence start is also correct |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
明天 (míng tiān)
A time word that goes before the verb or at the start of the sentence.
Structure: Subject + 明天 + Verb / 明天 + Subject + Verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 明天我们去爬山。 | Míng tiān wǒ men qù pá shān. | Tomorrow we are going hiking. |
| 他明天下午有课。 | Tā míng tiān xià wǔ yǒu kè. | He has class tomorrow afternoon. |
| 我明天不工作。 | Wǒ míng tiān bù gōng zuò. | I'm not working tomorrow. |
Not: 我看电影明天。 The time word goes before the verb: 我明天看电影。
现在 (xiàn zài)
A time word meaning 'now', placed before the verb or at the start.
Structure: Subject + 现在 + Verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我现在很忙。 | Wǒ xiàn zài hěn máng. | I'm busy now. |
| 现在几点了？ | Xiàn zài jǐ diǎn le? | What time is it now? |
| 他现在在北京工作。 | Tā xiàn zài zài Běi jīng gōng zuò. | He works in Beijing now. |
Not: 我工作现在在北京。 Put 现在 before the verb phrase: 我现在在北京工作。
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
What this opens up
These patterns list Time Expressions as Adverbials among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.
Questions about Time Expressions as Adverbials
What does 时间词作状语 (Time Expressions as Adverbials) mean in Chinese?
A time expression such as 明天 (tomorrow) or 现在 (now) goes before the verb, or at the very start of the sentence, never after the verb as in English. Pattern: subject + time word + verb, as in 我明天去. It is an HSK 1 grammar point.
How do you use 时间词作状语 (Time Expressions as Adverbials) in a sentence?
我今天去学校。 — Wǒ jīn tiān qù xué xiào. — I go to school today. Time word 今天 comes after subject, before verb 去.
What do you need to know before 时间词作状语 (Time Expressions as Adverbials)?
Number-Measure Phrases (HSK 1). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
What does 时间词作状语 (Time Expressions as Adverbials) lead to?
Frequency Adverbs (HSK 2), Prepositions of Time & Place (HSK 3), Time Adverbs (HSK 2), Time Adverbs (HSK 3), Time Clauses (HSK 2). Each of them names 时间词作状语 (Time Expressions as Adverbials) among its own prerequisites.
Where does a time word go in a Chinese sentence?
Before the verb, usually right after the subject: 我明天去学校。 It can also start the sentence, but it does not go at the end.
Can I put the time word at the beginning?
Yes. 明天我去学校 and 我明天去学校 are both fine. The beginning version puts a little more focus on the time.
Time Expressions as Adverbials is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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