Unlike expressions of a defined point in time, terms of duration and frequency are typically used following the verb. In a Chinese phrase, the context in time and space is set before the verb’s action is said. On the other hand, duration and frequency, which are the results of the action, are placed after the action has been said.
我在北京住了三年。Wǒ zài běijīng zhùle sān nián. (I have lived in Beijing for three years.)
这周我加班了一天。Zhè zhōu wǒ jiābānle yītiān. (I worked overtime one day this week.)
我每周运动五个小时。Wǒ měi zhōu yùndòng wǔ gè xiǎoshí. (I exercise five hours every week.)
Expressions of duration and noun objects
When a verb has a noun object and a duration phrase in the same sentence, the duration phrase comes after the noun.
我学了半年汉语。Wǒ xuéle bànnián hànyǔ. (I have studied Chinese for half a year.)
他打了一天篮球。Tā dǎle yītiān lánqiú. (He played basketball all day.)
他玩了一上午电脑游戏。Tā wánle yī shàngwǔ diànnǎo yóuxì. (He played computer games all morning.)
Verbal repetition in a noun-object-duration structure
When there is a noun object, another pattern is to repeat the verb after the object, followed by the duration phrase.
他学中文学了一年。Tā xué Zhōngwén xuéle yī nián. (He has studied Chinese for one year.)
我上中文课上了四个小时。Wǒ shàng zhōng wén kè shàngle sì gè xiǎoshí. (I took a Chinese class for four hours.)
弟弟玩游戏玩了一天。Dìdì wán yóuxì wánle yītiān. (My brother played games for a day.)
Pronoun objects and duration expressions
When there is a pronoun object, the duration phrase always comes after it.
我看了他半天，他一直在玩手机。Wǒ kànle tā bàntiān, tā yīzhí zài wán shǒujī. (I have been watching him for a long time. He has played with the mobile phone all the time.)
我等了他一个多小时。Wǒ děngle tā yīgè duō xiǎoshí. (I waited for him for over an hour.)
我教了他半年中文。Wǒ jiàole tā bànnián zhōngwén. (I taught him Chinese for half a year.)
Dative duration expressions
In a dative construction, when there are both direct and indirect objects, the duration phrase goes before and after the indirect object as an attributive.
秘书向公司请了两天的假期。Mìshū xiàng gōngsī qǐngle liǎng tiān de jiàqī. (The secretary asked the company for two days off.)
老板欠了员工半年的工资。Lǎobǎn qiànle yuángōng bànnián de gōngzī. (The boss owes the employee half a year’s wages.)
Expressions of duration and specific reference
Let’s say that the duration expression talks about a time in the past when something did or did not happen. In that case, it has a precise meaning and goes before the verb, just like other time expressions.
他三年没去工作。Tā sān nián méi qù gōngzuò. (He didn’t go to work for three years.)
我这两年内都没看过电影。Wǒ zhè liǎng niánnèi dōu méi kànguò diànyǐng. (I haven’t seen a movie in two years.)
春节以来我都没休过假。Chūnjié yǐlái wǒ dū méi xiūguò jiǎ. (I haven’t had a vacation since the Spring Festival.)
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