Chinese Conversation 4 - Time

Learn how to talk about time in Chinese is not very difficult and the way Chinese tell time is simple. 

In this lesson you will learn how to use time in Chinese conversation from two basic conversations. For each conversation there is English transcript and then present withChinese Pinyin and characters.

Consider about beginners, all tones are marked with numbers to indicate correct tones. From 1-4, they indicate 4 different tones. 1 - first tone, 2 - second tone, 3 - third tone, 4 - fourth tone. and if there is no number, it indicates the "toneless" tone. If you get confuse with Pinyin and Tones, you can check out the guide of learn Chinese Pinyin and learn Chinese Tones.

Scene 1

English Transcription

(At home)

Liu Ming: (stretching) Li Hong, what’s the time?

Li Hong: what’s the time? Ten minutes past nine.

Liu Ming: oh my god, I’m going to be late.

Li Hong: have you forgotten? It’s your day off today.

Liu Ming: I know, but…

Li Hong: But what?

Liu Ming: You forgot, we have to pick up my dad from the airport at 10 o’clock?

Li Hong: Whoops, I forgot. Quick, there is 45 minutes to go, we can still make it to the airport.

Liu Ming: Then I’ll go there right now.

Chinese Conversation:

(zai4 jia1)

（在家）

Liu2 ming2: (shen1 lan3 yao2) li3 hong2, ji3 dian3 le?

刘明：（伸懒腰）李红，几点了？

Li3 hong2: ji3 dian3 le? jiu3 dian3 shi2 fen1 le.

李红：几点了？九点十分了。

Liu2 ming2: huai4 le huai4 le, yao4 chi2 dao4 le.

刘明：坏了坏了，要迟到了。

Li3 hong2: ni3 hu2 tu le? jin1 tian1 xiu1 xi.

李红：你糊涂了？今天你休息。

Liu2 ming2: wo3 zhi1 dao4. ke3……

刘明：我知道。可……

Li3 hong2: ke3 shen2 me?

李红：可什么？

Liu2 ming2: ni3 wang4 le, shi2 dian3 zhong1 yao4 qu4 ji1 chang3 jie1 wo3 ba4?

刘明：你忘了，十点钟要去机场接我爸？

Li3 hong2: ai1 yo, wo3 gei3 wang4 le. kuai4 , hai2 you3 si4 shi2 wu3 fen1 zhong1, qu4 ji1 chang3 hai2 lai2 de ji2.

李红：哎哟，我给忘了。快，还有45  分钟，去机场还来得及

Liu2 ming2: na4 wo3 xian1 qu4 le.

刘明：那我先去了。

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Scene 2

English Transcription

(In school dormitory)

Xiang Zhang: Been busy lately, Tina?

Tina: Busy, can’t get any busier! 24 hours in a day aren’t enough at all.

Xiao Zhang: What? 24 hours aren’t enough? What are you busy doing?

Tina: You see, I go to Classes from 8 to 12 in the morning; have lunch between 12 and 12:30; learn Chinese from 1 to 3 in the afternoon; then play tennis from 3 to 5; look for information on the internet after dinner from 6 to 8…

Xiao Zhang: What about after 8 at night?

Tina: I get busier after 8 pm. I’m at the bar all the time from 8 to 12 midnight.

Xiao Zhang: Hanging out at the bar? You call that busy?

Tina: I work at the bar, not hang out there.

Xiao Zhang: That is pretty busy, from morning to night.

Chinese Conversation:

(zai4 xue2 xiao4 su4 she4)

（在学校宿舍）

Xiao3 zhang1: zui4 jin4 mang2 ma, Tina  ？

小张：最近忙吗，Tina  ？

Tina: mang2, mang2 si3 wo3 le! yi4 tian1 er4 shi2 si4 xiao3 shi2 gen1 ben3 bu2 gou4.

Tina: 忙，忙死我了！一天24  小时根本不够。

Xiao3 zhang1: shen2 me? Er4 shi2 xi4 xiao3 shi2 hai2 bu2 gou4? Ni3 dou1 mang2 xie1 shen2 me ne?

小张：什么？24  小时还不够？你都忙些什么呢？

Tina: ni3 kan4, wo3 shang4 wu3 ba1 dian3 dao4 shi2 er4 dian3 shang4 ke4; shi2 er4 dian3 dao4 shi2 er4 dian3 ban4 chi1 wu3 fan4; xia4 wu3 yi1 dian3 dao4 san1 dian3 xue2 zhong1 wen2; ran2 hou4 san1 dian3 dao4 wu3 dian3 da3 wang3 qiu2; wan3 fan4 hou4 liu4 dian3 dao4 ba1 dian3 shang4 wang3 cha2 zi1 liao4……

Tina: 你看，我上午8  点到12  点上课；12  点到12  点半吃午饭；下午1  点到3  点学中文；然后3  占到5  点打网球；饭后6  点到8  点上网查资料……

Xiao3 zhang1: na4 wan3 shang4 ba1 dian3 yi3 hou4 ne?

小张：那晚上8  点以后呢？

Tina: ba1 dian3 yi3 hou4 geng4 mang2. Wan3 shang4 ba1 dian3 dao4 ban4 ye4 shi2 er4 dian3 wo3 yi4 zhi2 zai4 jiu3 ba1.

Tina: 8点以后更忙。晚上8  点到半夜12  点我一直在酒吧。

Xiao3 zhang1: qu4 pao4 ba1? Na4 ye3 jiao4 mang2?

小张：去泡吧？那也叫忙？

Tina: wo3 qu4 jiu3 ba1 da3 gong1, bu2 shi4 pao4 ba1.

Tina:  我去酒吧打工，不是泡吧。

Xiao3 zhang1: shi4 gou4 mang2 de, cong2 zao3 mang2 dao4 wan3.

小张：是够忙的，从早忙到晚。

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Vocabulary

Common Expressions

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