Time Expressions

Time words like 今天 (jīntiān), 明天 (míngtiān), and 现在 (xiànzài) go before the verb.

They often start the sentence, or they sit after the subject. They do not go at the end.

Once you can place time words correctly, you can say when things happen for almost anything you've already learned to say.

Structure

Time + Subject + Verb + Object

今天我喝茶。 Jīntiān wǒ hē chá.

Subject + Time + Verb + Object

我今天喝茶。 Wǒ jīntiān hē chá.

Both are correct.

The same pattern works with 早上 (zǎoshang, morning), 中午 (zhōngwǔ, noon), 下午 (xiàwǔ, afternoon), and 晚上 (wǎnshang, evening) — they go before the verb, just like 今天 and 明天.

To tell the exact time, put a number before 点 (diǎn, o'clock): 六点 (liù diǎn, six o'clock). Add 半 (bàn) for the half hour, 刻 (kè) for a quarter hour, or 分 (fēn) for exact minutes.

Examples

今天我喝茶。 Jīntiān wǒ hē chá.

Breakdown: 今天 (today) · 我 (I) · 喝 (drink) · 茶 (tea)

→ Today I drink tea.

明天他学习中文。 Míngtiān tā xuéxí Zhōngwén.

Breakdown: 明天 (tomorrow) · 他 (he) · 学习 (study) · 中文 (Chinese)

→ Tomorrow he studies Chinese.

早上我喝茶，晚上我喝水。 Zǎoshang wǒ hē chá, wǎnshang wǒ hē shuǐ.

Breakdown: 早上 (in the morning) · 我 (I) · 喝 (drink) · 茶 (tea) · 晚上 (in the evening) · 水 (water)

→ I drink tea in the morning and water in the evening.

中午她吃饭，下午她学习中文。 Zhōngwǔ tā chī fàn, xiàwǔ tā xuéxí Zhōngwén.

Breakdown: 中午 (at noon) · 她 (she) · 吃饭 (eat) · 下午 (in the afternoon) · 学习 (study) · 中文 (Chinese)

→ At noon she eats, and in the afternoon she studies Chinese.

现在六点半。 Xiànzài liù diǎn bàn.

Breakdown: 现在 (now) · 六点 (six o'clock) · 半 (half past)

→ It's 6:30 now.

现在八点一刻。 Xiànzài bā diǎn yí kè.

Breakdown: 现在 (now) · 八点 (eight o'clock) · 一刻 (a quarter)

→ It's a quarter past eight now.

现在十点十分。 Xiànzài shí diǎn shí fēn.

Breakdown: 现在 (now) · 十点 (ten o'clock) · 十分 (ten minutes)

→ It's 10:10 now.

Common Mistakes

Putting time at the end

- Incorrect: 我喝茶今天。 (Wǒ hē chá jīntiān.) - Correct: 今天我喝茶。 (Jīntiān wǒ hē chá.) / 我今天喝茶。 (Wǒ jīntiān hē chá.) — Today I drink tea.

Adding 在 before a time word

- Incorrect: 我在今天喝茶。 (Wǒ zài jīntiān hē chá.) - Correct: 我今天喝茶。 (Wǒ jīntiān hē chá.) — Today I drink tea.

English uses "at/in/on" before time expressions ("at six", "in the morning"), so learners often add 在 out of habit. Chinese time words like 今天, 早上, and clock times need no preposition — they go straight before the verb.

What Can You Say Now?

You can now say not just what happens, but when it happens — 明天他有课 (Tomorrow he has class), 现在我喝水 (I'm drinking water now). You can also break your day into parts (早上, 中午, 下午, 晚上) and tell the time (现在六点半). Try narrating your own day out loud, adding these time words to sentences you already know.

Quick Summary

Time comes before the verb: 今天我喝茶。