时候 vs 时间

[Ferno]

are there some sort of English equivalents I can use to help me learn the difference here or are these two words for "time" just used in difference contexts and you must learn them individually?

thanks

[笨笨德]

You will most commonly use 時候 as part of 什麼時候 or 的時候, both related to the english word 'when.' 時間 you can think of as, 'time' or leisure time.

Actually, I remember having the same problem when i was learning this, I just learned a sentence similar to this, to help me remember...

你有時間的時候，打電話給我喔。

[kudra]

I can't back this up with a source, but my feeling is that 時間 has the connotation of time interval, whereas 時候 is more generic, or has the connotation of some point in time.

I could be wrong, perhaps a more advanced or native speaker can correct or corroborate this.

[HashiriKata]

It may be more complex than this, but just as a starter:

時間= (amount /period of) time.

時候= (point in) time

Therefore: 你有時間的時候, 打電話給我喔。= When (=時候 =certain point in time) you have (some period of ) time, give me a ring!

[Ferno]

ok thanks guys