什么时候 When in Chinese

我wǒ给gěi朋友péngyou打电话dǎ diànhuà，问wèn：“我们wǒmen什么shénme时候shíhou见面jiànmiàn？”

I call my friend and ask: "When shall we meet?"

她tā说shuō：“明天míngtiān怎么样zěnmeyàng？”

She says: "How about tomorrow?"

我wǒ说shuō：“好hǎo，明天míngtiān几点jǐ diǎn？”

I say: "Good, what time tomorrow?"

她tā说shuō：“下午xiàwǔ三点sān diǎn，在zài公园gōngyuán。”

She says: "Three o'clock in the afternoon, at the park."

下午xiàwǔ，我wǒ到dào了le公园gōngyuán，可是kěshì没méi看见kànjiàn她tā，打电话dǎ diànhuà问wèn：“你nǐ在zài哪儿nǎr？什么shénme时候shíhou到dào？”

In the afternoon, I arrive at the park, but I don't see her, so I call and ask: "Where are you? When will you get here?"

她tā说shuō：“对不起duìbuqǐ，我wǒ马上mǎshàng到dào，你nǐ等一下děng yíxià。”

She says: "Sorry, I'll be there right away, wait a moment."

后来hòulái，她tā跑pǎo过guò来lái，说shuō：“到dào了le到dào了le，我们wǒmen走zǒu吧ba！”

Afterward, she comes running over and says: "I'm here, I'm here, let's go!"

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Key words 生词

时候shíhoutime; when

几点jǐ diǎnwhat time (the hour)

见面jiànmiànto meet

怎么样zěnmeyànghow about

马上mǎshàngright away

等一下děng yíxiàwait a moment

什么时候？（asking about a day or general time）

什么时候 asks broadly about when something happens — a day, a period, or 'someday'.

我们什么时候见面？— When shall we meet?

几点？（asking the clock time）

几点 asks specifically for the hour, once the day is already settled.

好，明天几点？— Good, what time tomorrow?

马上（right away）

马上 right before a verb says the action will happen very soon.

我马上到，你等一下。— I'll be there right away, wait a moment.

1. What does 什么时候 ask about, compared to 几点?

2. What time do they agree to meet?

3. Where do they agree to meet?

After this reading

I'm Fei, and I teach Mandarin one-on-one on Preply. Bring this text to a trial lesson — we'll fix your tones and turn it into a real conversation.