Language points and dialogue 1

Language points

The set order to express time: the bigger unit preceding the smaller unit, hour is before minute. 分 fēn is used when the time is not the whole hour.

E.g. 现在 几点？Xiànzài jǐ diǎn? What’s the time now?

现在 三 点。Xiànzài sān diǎn. It’s 3 o’clock.

现在 几点？Xiànzài jǐ diǎn? What’s the time now?

现在 十 点 十 分。Xiànzài shí diǎn shí fēn. It’s 10: 10 now.

When the number of the minute is smaller than 10, we usually use “零 líng zero” to separate the hour and the minute, and the “分”at the end of the time is omitted.

E.g. 现在三点零五。Xiànzài sān diǎn líng wǔ. 3:05

When 2 appears before a measure word, we use 两 liǎng.

E.g. 现在 两 点。Xiànzài liǎng diǎn. 2:00

In Chinese daily life, we usually use twelve-hour system. To distinguish a time before noon from afternoon, the pattern is “上午/下午……点……分”.

上午 shàngwǔ 6:00-11:00 a.m. morning

中午zhōngwǔ 11: 00-1: 00p.m noon

下午xiàwǔ 1: 00-6: 00 p.m afternoon

9: 00 am 上午 九 点。Shàngwǔ jiǔ diǎn.

12: 10 pm 中午 十二 点 十 分。 Zhōngwǔ shí’èr diǎn shí fēn.

3: 22 pm 下午 三 点 二十二 分。Xiàwǔ sān diǎn èrshí’èr fēn.

Sentence structure: time + verb

E.g. 几 点 吃 饭？ Jǐ diǎn chī fàn?

E.g. 中午 几 点 吃 饭？Zhōngwǔ jǐ diǎn chī fàn?

When shall we have the lunch?

中午 十二 点 吃饭。Zhōngwǔ shí’èr diǎn chī fàn.

We’ll have the lunch at 12:00 pm.

Dialogue 1

A: 现在 几 点？Xiànzài jǐ diǎn?

B: 现在 十 点 十 分。Xiànzài shí diǎn shí fēn.

A: 中午 几 点 吃 饭？Zhōngwǔ jǐ diǎn chī fàn?

B: 十二 点 吃 饭。Shí’èr diǎn chī fàn.

Let’s try if you can read the dialogue without the help of Pinyin.

现在几点？

现在十点十分。

中午几点吃饭？

十二点吃饭。