About This Lesson
Use Basic Place and Time Questions to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
它在哪里？
tā zài nǎlǐ? Where is it?
B
你在哪里？
nǐ zài nǎlǐ? Where are you?
A
这里发生了什么？
zhèlǐ fāshēng le shénme? What happened here?
B
现在几点？
xiànzài jǐ diǎn? What time is it?
A
你什么时候来？
nǐ shénme shíhou lái? When will you come?
B
你为什么迟到？
nǐ wèishénme chídào? Why are you late?Word by Word
它
它 means it in 它在哪里？, referring to the thing whose location is being asked about. It commonly appears before a location phrase, as in 它在这里。 Use it when asking or stating where a thing is.
在
在 marks the location of it in 它在哪里？, meaning that it is located somewhere. In this sentence, it combines with 哪里 to ask for the location. A reusable pattern is 在 + place, such as 在这里。 Use it when asking or saying where something or someone is.
哪里
哪里 means where in 它在哪里？. Together with 在, it asks for a location rather than naming one. A reusable question pattern is 在哪里？ Use it when asking for the location of a person or thing.
你
你 means you in 你在哪里？ and 你什么时候来？. It identifies the person being asked about or addressed. It commonly comes before the question or action, as in 你在哪里？ Use it when speaking directly to one person.
这里
这里 means here in 这里发生了什么？, referring to the place where the event occurred. It can identify the place of an action and commonly appears before the action, as in 这里发生了什么？ Use it when pointing to the current or already-mentioned place.
发生
发生 means happen in 这里发生了什么？, describing an event taking place. Here it is followed by 了 and 什么 in the question 发生了什么. A reusable pattern is 发生了什么？ Use it when asking what event took place.
了
了 marks the event in 发生了什么？ as a completed event, so the question asks what happened. It follows 发生 in this dialogue form. A reusable pattern is action + 了 + 什么 when asking what occurred, as in 发生了什么？ Use it when asking about an event that has already taken place.
什么
什么 means what in 发生了什么？, asking which event occurred. It follows 发生了 and functions as the unknown thing or event in the question. A reusable pattern is 发生了什么？ Use it when you want someone to explain an event.
现在
现在 means now in 现在几点？, asking about the current time. It places the question in the present moment and comes before 几点 here. A reusable pattern is 现在 + time question, as in 现在几点？ Use it when checking the time at the moment of speaking.
几
几 asks which hour in 几点？, rather than asking for a general amount. Together with 点, it forms the time question in 现在几点？. A reusable pattern is 几点？ Use it when asking what hour it is.
点
点 means o'clock in 几点？ and identifies the hour being asked about. It follows 几 to form the time expression 几点. A reusable pattern is number + 点 for an hour. Use it when asking or stating the hour.
时候
时候 contributes the meaning of time or occasion in 什么时候, which means when in 你什么时候来？. In this expression, 时候 is part of the question word and asks about the time of an action. A reusable pattern is 什么时候 + action, as in 什么时候来？ Use it when asking when someone will do something.
来
来 means come in 你什么时候来？, referring to coming to the relevant place or meeting point. It appears after 什么时候 because the question asks when the coming will happen. A reusable pattern is 什么时候来？ Use it when asking someone when they will come.
为什么
为什么 means why in 你为什么迟到？, asking for the reason for being late. The whole expression 为什么 forms the reason question: 为 contributes the reason-question element and 什么 contributes the what element inside it. A reusable pattern is 为什么 + action or condition, as in 为什么迟到？ Use it when asking someone to explain a reason.
迟到
迟到 means be late in 你为什么迟到？, describing arriving later than the expected time. It follows 为什么 because the sentence asks for the reason for this condition. A reusable pattern is 为什么迟到？ Use it when asking someone why they arrived late.
Grammar Points
疑问词放在句中
你为什么迟到？
nǐ wèishénme chídào?Why are you late?
中文疑问词通常放在它所询问的成分位置，不像英语常移到句首。
在哪里放在句末
它在哪里？
tā zài nǎlǐ?Where is it?
“在哪里”表示地点，简单疑问句中通常放在句末。
Chinese Vocabulary
迟到
verb
chídào
to be late
你为什么迟到?
发生
verb
fāshēng
to happen
这里发生了什么?
几点
phrase
jǐ diǎn
what time
现在几点?
来
verb
lái
to come
你什么时候来?
你
pron
nǐ
you
你在哪里?
什么
pron
shénme
what
这里发生了什么?
什么时候
phrase
shénme shíhou
when
你什么时候来?
它
pron
tā
it
它在哪里?
为什么
adv
wèishénme
why
你为什么迟到?
现在
adv
xiànzài
now
现在几点?
在哪里
phrase
zài nǎlǐ
where ... is; where ... are
它在哪里?
这里
pron
zhèlǐ
here
这里发生了什么?
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
when
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什么时候now
Show Answer
现在why
Show Answer
为什么here