Time expressions that indicate a moment in time for an activity can either come before or come after the subject.
六月我去奥斯陆。Liù yuè wǒ qù àosīlù.(I am going to Oslo in June.)
or,
我六月去奥斯陆。Wǒ liù yuè qù àosīlù.(I am going to Oslo in June.)
The time expression is likely to follow the subject if it is more specific.
我早上九点上班。Wǒ zǎoshang jiǔ diǎn shàngbān. (I go to work at nine in the morning. )
他下午三点下课。Tā xiàwǔ sān diǎn xiàkè. (He finishes class at three o’clock in the afternoon.)
Year
前年 qiánnián (the year before last)
去年 qùnián (last year)
今年 jīnnián (this year)
明年 míngnián (next year)
后年 hòu nián (the year after next)
Season
春天 chūntiān (spring)
夏天 xiàtiān (summer)
秋天 qiūtiān (autumn)
冬天 dōngtiān (winter)
Month
The months in Chinese are formed simply by placing the cardinal numbers one to twelve before 月 yuè ‘month’/’moon’: 一月 yīyuè (also 正月 zhēngyuè)
‘January,’ 二月 èryuè ‘February,’ 三月 sānyuè ‘March,’ etc.
我五月去奥斯陆。Wǒ wǔ yuè qù àosīlù. (I am going to Oslo in May.)
我六月去中国。Wǒ liù yuè qù zhōngguó. (I will go to China in June.)
我三月回家乡。Wǒ sān yuè huí jiāxiāng. (I go back to my hometown in March.)
For days of the month 号 hào, or more formally 日 rì, follows the number:
9月12日是我的生日。9 Yuè 12 rì shì wǒ de shēngrì. (September 12 is my birthday.)
2月14日是西方情人节。2 Yuè 14 rì shì xīfāng qíngrén jié. (February 14 is Valentine’s Day in the West.)
今天是2月3号。Jīntiān shì 2 yuè 3 hào. (Today is February 3.)
Other expressions:
上上个月shàng shàng gè yuè (two months ago)
上个月shàng gè yuè (last month)
这个月zhège yuè (this month)
下个月xià gè yuè (next month)
下下个月xià xià gè yuè (two months later)
我这个月后去挪威。Wǒ zhège yuè hòu qù nuówēi. (I’m going to Norway after this month.)
她上个月来中国出差。Tā shàng gè yuè lái zhōngguó chūchāi. (I’m going to Norway after this month.)
我下个月换新工作。Wǒ xià gè yuè huàn xīn gōngzuò. (I will change to a new job next month.)
Week
上上个星期Shàng shàng gè xīngqī (two weeks ago)
上个星期shàng gè xīngqī (last week)
这个星期zhège xīngqī (this week)
下个星期xià gè xīngqī (next week)
下下个星期xià xià gè xīngqī (two weeks later)
我下个星期去云南旅游。Wǒ xià gè xīngqí qù yúnnán lǚyóu. (I will travel to Yunnan next week.)
他上个星期结婚了。Tā shàng gè xīngqí jiéhūnle.(He got married last week.)
我这个星期放假。Wǒ zhège xīngqí fàngjià.(I’m on vacation this week.)
Days
For days of the week apart from Sunday the cardinal numbers one to six are placed after 星期 xīngqī or 礼拜 lǐbài’ week,’ and for Sunday, either 天 tiān or 日 rì is used instead of a number:
星期一Xīngqī yī (Monday)
星期二xīngqī’èr (Tuesday)
星期三xīngqīsān (Wednesday)
星期四xīngqīsì (Thursday)
星期五xīngqīwǔ (Friday)
星期六xīngqīliù (Saturday)
星期日xīngqīrì (Sunday)
Other expressions for days include:
前天qiántiān (two days ago)
昨天zuótiān (yesterday)
今天jīntiān (today)
明天míngtiān (tomorrow)
后天hòutiān (two days later)
Time of Day
早上 zǎoshàng (morning)
上午 shàngwǔ (morning)
下午 xiàwǔ (afternoon)
中午 zhōngwǔ (at noon)
晚上 wǎnshang (inthe evening)
夜里 yèlǐ (at night)
半夜 bànyè (midnight)
