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It’s the glue for storytelling.\n",{"type":32,"tag":33,"props":756,"children":757},{},[758,760,763,764,767,768,771,773,776,778,781],{"type":37,"value":759},"Basically, with ",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":761,"children":762},{"lang":104,"syntax":703},[],{"type":37,"value":353},{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":765,"children":766},{"lang":104,"syntax":724},[],{"type":37,"value":358},{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":769,"children":770},{"lang":104,"syntax":745},[],{"type":37,"value":772},", you can map out any series of events clearly and naturally, which is the whole point of talking about time. Sometimes you will notice that many Chinese learners, also Chinese native speakers, use ",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":774,"children":775},{"lang":104,"syntax":745},[],{"type":37,"value":777}," a lot as a filler, unconsciously. To overcome this, you can try to record yourself on a speech, and then consciously replace ",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":779,"children":780},{"lang":104,"syntax":745},[],{"type":37,"value":782}," with a natural pause.",{"type":32,"tag":55,"props":784,"children":785},{},[],{"type":32,"tag":59,"props":787,"children":789},{"id":788},"ask-for-the-time-in-real-life-situations-什么时候-几点-多久",[790],{"type":37,"value":791},"Ask for the time in real-life situations: 什么时候, 几点, 多久",{"type":32,"tag":33,"props":793,"children":794},{},[795],{"type":37,"value":796},"So, you've learned how to state when things happen. But what about when you need to ask? This is where you turn the structure around, and it’s just as logical. 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Here are mistakes I made, so you don't have to.",{"type":32,"tag":995,"props":996,"children":997},"ol",{},[998,1009,1029],{"type":32,"tag":98,"props":999,"children":1000},{},[1001,1003,1007],{"type":37,"value":1002},"First, forcing English prepositions. You don't need a word for 'at' in ",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":1004,"children":1006},{"lang":104,"syntax":1005},"我[wo3;r]三[san1;m|lian2 er4 bing4 san1;i]点[dian3;m]吃饭[chi1 fan4;v]",[],{"type":37,"value":1008}," (I three o’clock eat). Adding one is wrong. The time phrase stands alone.",{"type":32,"tag":98,"props":1010,"children":1011},{},[1012,1014,1021,1023,1027],{"type":37,"value":1013},"Second, overusing ",{"type":32,"tag":40,"props":1015,"children":1018},{"href":1016,"rel":1017},"https:\u002F\u002Fmigaku.com\u002Fblog\u002Fchinese\u002Fchinese-particle-le",[44],[1019],{"type":37,"value":1020},"了",{"type":37,"value":1022},". It doesn't equal English past tense. It marks completion. If you're stating a past fact without emphasizing it's finished, you might not need it. ",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":1024,"children":1026},{"lang":104,"syntax":1025},"昨天[zuo2 tian1;t]我[wo3;r]在[zai4;p]家[jia1;q]",[],{"type":37,"value":1028}," (Yesterday I was at home) is often fine without 了. The downside to overusing it is sounding unnatural.",{"type":32,"tag":98,"props":1030,"children":1031},{},[1032,1034,1038],{"type":37,"value":1033},"Finally, the classic word order slip. When you're nervous, you might blurt out ",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":1035,"children":1037},{"lang":104,"syntax":1036},"我[wo3;r]要[yao4;v|yao1;v|bing4 yao4;c]见[jian4;v|xian4;v]朋友[peng2 you5;n]明天[ming2 tian1;t]",[],{"type":37,"value":1039},". It happens. The fix is slow, deliberate practice of the Time + Subject + Action formula until it's muscle memory. Write it out. Say it out loud. Your brain will rewire itself.",{"type":32,"tag":55,"props":1041,"children":1042},{},[],{"type":32,"tag":59,"props":1044,"children":1046},{"id":1045},"practical-tips-for-making-chinese-time-system-stick",[1047],{"type":37,"value":1048},"Practical tips for making Chinese time system stick",{"type":32,"tag":33,"props":1050,"children":1051},{},[1052],{"type":37,"value":1053},"Learning this system can feel abstract, so here are concrete tips from my own journey. In short - you have to practice building the timeline visually.",{"type":32,"tag":995,"props":1055,"children":1056},{},[1057,1079,1089],{"type":32,"tag":98,"props":1058,"children":1059},{},[1060,1062,1066,1068,1072,1074,1077],{"type":37,"value":1061},"First, drill the core word order of Chinese grammar religiously. Write ten simple sentences daily using the Time + Subject + Action formula. Use ",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":1063,"children":1065},{"lang":104,"syntax":1064},"今天[jin1 tian1;t]",[],{"type":37,"value":1067}," (Today), ",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":1069,"children":1071},{"lang":104,"syntax":1070},"晚上[wan3 shang5;t]八[ba1;m]点[dian3;m]",[],{"type":37,"value":1073}," (Evening eight o’clock), ",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":1075,"children":1076},{"lang":104,"syntax":279},[],{"type":37,"value":1078}," (Next week). This isn't creative work; it's construction training.",{"type":32,"tag":98,"props":1080,"children":1081},{},[1082,1084,1087],{"type":37,"value":1083},"Second, tackle the duration vs. point-in-time hurdle with a two-column list. On one side, write duration in Chinese sentences. On the other, write point-in-time sentences using ",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":1085,"children":1086},{"lang":104,"syntax":446},[],{"type":37,"value":1088},". Force yourself to see and feel the difference. A classic mistake is mixing these up, so preempt that confusion.",{"type":32,"tag":98,"props":1090,"children":1091},{},[1092,1094,1097,1099,1102,1104,1107],{"type":37,"value":1093},"Finally, listen for time markers. When watching a show or listening to a podcast, just focus on catching the time words. ",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":1095,"children":1096},{"lang":104,"syntax":745},[],{"type":37,"value":1098}," (Then), ",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":1100,"children":1101},{"lang":104,"syntax":724},[],{"type":37,"value":1103}," (After), ",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":1105,"children":1106},{"lang":104,"syntax":703},[],{"type":37,"value":1108}," (Before). Notice where they are in the sentence.",{"type":32,"tag":33,"props":1110,"children":1111},{},[1112],{"type":37,"value":1113},"Anyway, if you want to practice these time expressions with real Chinese content, Migaku's browser extension and app let you look up words and phrases instantly while watching shows or reading articles. 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The formal way is \n",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":1145,"children":1147},{"lang":104,"syntax":1146},"九[jiu3;m]点[dian3;m]四[si4;m]十[shi2;m]五[wu3;m]分[fen1;v|fen4;v|hou4 fen4;n]",[],{"type":37,"value":1149},"\n (Nine o'clock forty-five minutes). The more colloquial, everyday way is \n",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":1151,"children":1153},{"lang":104,"syntax":1152},"差[cha4;a|chai1;a|cha1;a]一刻[yi1 ke4;m]十[shi2;m]点[dian3;m]",[],{"type":37,"value":1155},"\n (A quarter to ten o'clock), using \n",{"type":32,"tag":102,"props":1157,"children":1159},{"lang":104,"syntax":1158},"差[cha4;a|chai1;a|cha1;a]",[],{"type":37,"value":1161},"\n (To lack) to express the time before the next hour. 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