Time and dates in Chinese
Ask the time, talk about today and tomorrow, and catch dates and metro line numbers. Morning dim sum in Guangzhou. The tea house is packed, so you book a table for another day.
Key phrases
The 6 phrases this lesson is built around, with the words that make them up. Tap ▶ to listen, or the turtle to hear it slowly.
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现在几点？
Xiànzài jǐ diǎn?
What time is it now?
- 现在Xiànzài
- 几jǐ
- 点diǎn
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三点。
Sān diǎn.
Three o'clock.
- 三Sān
- 点diǎn
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三点半。
Sān diǎn bàn.
Half past three.
- 三Sān
- 点diǎn
- 半bàn
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要等多久？
Yào děng duōjiǔ?
How long is the wait?
- 要Yào
- 等děng
- 多久duōjiǔ
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十分钟。
Shí fēnzhōng.
Ten minutes.
- 十Shí
- 分钟fēnzhōng
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明天。
Míngtiān.
Tomorrow
More phrases for this situation
Every other phrase from the lesson: 9 in all.
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今天。
Jīntiān.
Today
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昨天。
Zuótiān.
Yesterday
-
早上、下午、晚上。
Zǎoshang, xiàwǔ, wǎnshang.
Morning, afternoon, evening.
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今天星期几？
Jīntiān xīngqī jǐ?
What day is it today?
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星期一。
Xīngqī yī.
Monday.
-
今天几号？
Jīntiān jǐ hào?
What's the date today?
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十月一号。
Shí yuè yī hào.
October 1st.
-
几号线？
Jǐ hào xiàn?
Which metro line?
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二号线。
Èr hào xiàn.
Line 2.
What you’ll hear, and how to answer
Staff won’t follow your script. These are things they are likely to say here, with a reply that works.
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Staff
明天几点来？Míngtiān jǐ diǎn lái?
What time tomorrow?
You
三点半。Sān diǎn bàn.
Half past three.
-
Staff
好的。到时候可能要等一下。Hǎo de. Dào shíhou kěnéng yào děng yíxià.
OK. You might have to wait a little when you come.
You
要等多久？Yào děng duōjiǔ?
How long is the wait?
Play the scene
Morning dim sum in Guangzhou. The tea house is packed, so you book a table for another day.
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Staff
您好，想订哪天？
Nín hǎo, xiǎng dìng nǎ tiān?
Hello, which day would you like to book?
-
You
明天。
Míngtiān.
Tomorrow
What do you say?
-
Staff
明天几点来？
Míngtiān jǐ diǎn lái?
What time tomorrow?
-
You
三点半。
Sān diǎn bàn.
Half past three.
What do you say?
-
Staff
好的。到时候可能要等一下。
Hǎo de. Dào shíhou kěnéng yào děng yíxià.
OK. You might have to wait a little when you come.
-
You
要等多久？
Yào děng duōjiǔ?
How long is the wait?
What do you say?
-
Staff
不会太久，十分钟左右。
Bú huì tài jiǔ, shí fēnzhōng zuǒyòu.
Not long — about ten minutes.
Scene complete. 很好！ (Hěn hǎo — very good!)
Culture tip
Time goes before the verb
In Chinese, the time comes before the action: 明天三点去, literally “tomorrow three o'clock go”. Say the day first, then the hour: 明天下午三点半.
How do you say “half past three”?
Show the answer
三点半