Kessha Posted April 24, 2009 at 05:11 PM Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 at 05:11 PM Hello! I need a little help with the word constellation "的 时候". For example: 我 六 岁 的 时候。 我 到 他 宿舍 的 时候。 你 来 的 时候，他 在 什么 呢? Can anyone explain to me what meaning "的 时候" has? I am used to 有时候 and 时候, but I don't know what to do if there is a 的. My Chinese teacher explained it to us, but I was sick this week so I was not able to attend class when she discussed the grammar part. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrianlondon Posted April 24, 2009 at 06:09 PM Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 at 06:09 PM It kind of means "when". Just stick "when" in front of the English translations of the rest of the sentence and you've got it. 1. When I was 8 2. When I got to his dorm room 3. When you arrived, ... umm, "where was he" or "what was he up to?" - is the Chinese right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted April 24, 2009 at 06:17 PM Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 at 06:17 PM Just keep in mind that it's not a question. It just specifies a point in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kessha Posted April 24, 2009 at 06:28 PM Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 at 06:28 PM Thank you for the answers! I understand know how to use it. 3. Yes the sentence is right, it is a sample from my Chinese book. Actually there is an answer to the question so maybe this is why it sounds so odd. * 你 来 的 时候，他 在 什么 呢? Answer: 我 来 的 时候，他 正在看 电视呢。 Hopefully it is correct and my book does not tell me nonsense. Thank you again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lu Posted April 24, 2009 at 08:45 PM Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 at 08:45 PM I think 他在作什么 (what was he doing) is better, but perhaps it doesn't fit in the structure of the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadowdh Posted April 24, 2009 at 10:27 PM Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 at 10:27 PM Would this work for the question in the book? 你 来 的 时候，他 正在 什么 呢? 我 来 的 时候，他 正在看 电视呢。 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kessha Posted April 25, 2009 at 12:02 AM Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 at 12:02 AM I took a picture from the sentence in my book. This is just a little exercise where we had to replace the underlined part with the words from the box. The structure is pretty easy because I am still a beginner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted April 25, 2009 at 12:07 AM Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 at 12:07 AM 1. When I was 8 6 even Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted April 25, 2009 at 12:22 AM Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 at 12:22 AM See, the book actually says "他 在做 什么 呢". The 做 was missing, that's why the sentence sounded wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HerrPetersen Posted April 25, 2009 at 10:23 AM Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 at 10:23 AM Are you by any chance using the old "Practical Chinese Reader"- (as opposed to the New Practical Chinese Reader-) books, the ones with Gubo and Palanka? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don_Horhe Posted April 25, 2009 at 12:19 PM Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 at 12:19 PM Looks more like the white and blue BLCU books to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kessha Posted April 25, 2009 at 02:20 PM Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 at 02:20 PM @ renzhe sorry for the mistake, but thank you for your help! Yes my Chinese course does use the blue and white BLCU books "Hanyu jiaocheng" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Pigeon Posted April 26, 2009 at 04:56 AM Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 at 04:56 AM (edited) I took a picture from the sentence in my book. Kessha, can you give me the page number? Curious to know if I have the same book. I have BLCU's 汉语听力教程, 第一册. Thanks in advance. Edited April 26, 2009 at 12:53 PM by Dean A. Swanson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kessha Posted April 26, 2009 at 08:55 AM Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 at 08:55 AM Sure! It's page 50, Lesson 20. But it's 汉语教程, 第一册, 下. Do you have this book and/or the listening course book (汉语听力教程, 第一册) ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Pigeon Posted April 26, 2009 at 12:52 PM Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 at 12:52 PM Thanks, Kessha. I have 汉语教程, 第一册, 上 and 汉语听力教程, 第一册. But I have been using other books for my studies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kessha Posted April 26, 2009 at 06:38 PM Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 at 06:38 PM May I ask what other books do you use for your studies? Personally I don't think that the BLCU books alone are sufficient (e.g. the grammar explanation parts are way to superficial and don't go into detail.) So I am looking for some other accompanying books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Pigeon Posted April 27, 2009 at 12:41 PM Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 at 12:41 PM Hi Kessha, I'm in Japan, so the book that I'm using for my weekly class is in Japanese and Chinese. It's called 中国語をはじめよう. (Let's begin Chinese). The New Practical Chinese Reader is mentioned quite a bit here, so you might want to consider that. It's available from amazon.com. Hope that helps. Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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