For autodidact students of Mandarin, the question word for "when" is 什么时候 (shénme shíhou) — literally "what time-period" — and follows the same in-situ rule as all Chinese question words. It sits in the sentence where the time answer would go: 你什么时候来？(You when come? = When are you coming?) rather than any fronted "when" clause.
Chinese handles time questions through several overlapping expressions: 什么时候 (when — open time question), 几点 (jǐ diǎn, what time — clock time), 几号 (jǐ hào, what date — calendar date), 多久 (duō jiǔ, how long), and 什么时候 covers the broadest range. Importantly, 什么时候 can also function as a relative pronoun in embedded clauses: 我不知道他什么时候来 (I don't know when he is coming) — the in-situ principle applies even inside complex sentences.
Key Takeaways: - 什么时候 (shénme shíhou): when — the general time question word - In-situ: stays where the time answer would be placed - Works in questions and embedded clauses: 不知道什么时候 (don't know when) - 几点 (jǐ diǎn): what time (clock) — 你几点来？ - 多久 (duō jiǔ): how long — 你等了多久？ - 从什么时候 (cóng shénme shíhou): since when — 从什么时候开始？
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什么 (shénme, what — Lesson 27) + 时候 (shíhou, time-period/moment). 时 (shí) = time; 候 (hòu) = wait/season. Together 时候 means "a period or moment of time." The combination 什么时候 asks "what moment/period" — when.
时 appears in many important time words: 时间 (shíjiān, time — Lesson 45), 时候 (shíhou, moment), 有时候 (yǒu shíhou, sometimes), 当时 (dāngshí, at that time), 及时 (jíshí, in time/timely), 同时 (tóngshí, at the same time).
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43.1a 你 you 什么时候 when 回来 return ？
43.1b (nǐ) you (shénme shíhou) when (huílái) return?
43.2a 我 I 不知道 not-know 他 he 什么时候 when 会 will 来 come
43.2b (wǒ) I (bù zhīdào) not-know (tā) he (shénme shíhou) when (huì) will (lái) come
43.3a 你 you 是 is 什么时候 when 开始 began 学 study 中文 Chinese 的 DE ？
43.3b (nǐ) you (shì) is (shénme shíhou) when (kāishǐ) began (xué) study (Zhōngwén) Chinese (de) DE?
43.4a 什么时候 when 方便 convenient ， , 我们 we 再 again 聊 chat
43.4b (shénme shíhou) when (fāngbiàn) convenient (wǒmen) we (zài) again (liáo) chat
43.5a 火车 train 什么时候 when 出发 depart ？
43.5b (huǒchē) train (shénme shíhou) when (chūfā) depart?
43.6a 你们 you-PL 是 were 什么时候 when 认识 met 的 DE ？
43.6b (nǐmen) you-PL (shì) were (shénme shíhou) when (rènshi) met (de) DE?
43.7a 不知道 not-know 从 from 什么时候 when 起 start ， , 他 he 变 changed 得 DE 沉默 quiet 了 PERF
43.7b (bù zhīdào) not-know (cóng) from (shénme shíhou) when (qǐ) start (tā) he (biàn) changed (de) DE (chénmò) quiet (le) PERF
43.8a 你 you 什么时候 when 有空 have-free-time **？
43.8b (nǐ) you (shénme shíhou) when (yǒu kòng) have-free-time?
43.9a 他 he 什么时候 when 来 come 都 all 欢迎 welcome
43.9b (tā) he (shénme shíhou) when (lái) come (dōu) all (huānyíng) welcome
43.10a 什么时候 when 该 should 放手 let-go ， , 是 is 一门 one-CL 学问 knowledge
43.10b (shénme shíhou) when (gāi) should (fàng shǒu) let-go (shì) is (yī mén) one-CL (xuéwen) knowledge
43.11a 你 you 上次 last-time 是 were 什么时候 when 回 return 家 home 的 DE ？
43.11b (nǐ) you (shàng cì) last-time (shì) were (shénme shíhou) when (huí) return (jiā) home (de) DE?
43.12a 等 wait 到 until 什么时候 when ， , 他 he 才 only-then 肯 willing-to 道歉 apologise ？
43.12b (děng) wait (dào) until (shénme shíhou) when (tā) he (cái) only-then (kěn) willing-to (dàoqiàn) apologise?
43.13a 我 I 也 also 不知道 not-know 该 should 什么时候 when 说 say 出口 out
43.13b (wǒ) I (yě) also (bù zhīdào) not-know (gāi) should (shénme shíhou) when (shuō) say (chū kǒu) out
43.14a 什么时候 whenever 你 you 需要 need 我 me ， , 我 I 都 all 在 am-here
43.14b (shénme shíhou) whenever (nǐ) you (xūyào) need (wǒ) me (wǒ) I (dōu) all (zài) am-here
43.15a 人 people 总 always 是 is 在 at 失去 losing 之后 after ， , 才知道 only-then-know 什么时候 when 曾经 once 拥有 owned 过 EXP
43.15b (rén) people (zǒng) always (shì) is (zài) at (shīqù) losing (zhīhòu) after (cái zhīdào) only-then-know (shénme shíhou) when (céngjīng) once (yōngyǒu) owned (guò) EXP
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43.1 你什么时候回来？ "When are you coming back?"
43.2 我不知道他什么时候会来。 "I don't know when he will come."
43.3 你是什么时候开始学中文的？ "When did you start learning Chinese?"
43.4 什么时候方便，我们再聊。 "Whenever it's convenient, let's talk again."
43.5 火车什么时候出发？ "When does the train depart?"
43.6 你们是什么时候认识的？ "When did you two meet?"
43.7 不知道从什么时候起，他变得沉默了。 "I don't know when it was that he became quiet."
43.8 你什么时候有空？ "When do you have free time?"
43.9 他什么时候来都欢迎。 "He is welcome to come at any time."
43.10 什么时候该放手，是一门学问。 "Knowing when to let go is a form of wisdom."
43.11 你上次是什么时候回家的？ "When was the last time you went home?"
43.12 等到什么时候，他才肯道歉？ "Until when will he be willing to apologise?"
43.13 我也不知道该什么时候说出口。 "I don't know when I should say it either."
43.14 什么时候你需要我，我都在。 "Whenever you need me, I am here."
43.15 人总是在失去之后，才知道什么时候曾经拥有过。 "People only know, after losing, when they once had it."
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43.1 你什么时候回来？ 43.2 我不知道他什么时候会来。 43.3 你是什么时候开始学中文的？ 43.4 什么时候方便，我们再聊。 43.5 火车什么时候出发？ 43.6 你们是什么时候认识的？ 43.7 不知道从什么时候起，他变得沉默了。 43.8 你什么时候有空？ 43.9 他什么时候来都欢迎。 43.10 什么时候该放手，是一门学问。 43.11 你上次是什么时候回家的？ 43.12 等到什么时候，他才肯道歉？ 43.13 我也不知道该什么时候说出口。 43.14 什么时候你需要我，我都在。 43.15 人总是在失去之后，才知道什么时候曾经拥有过。
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These are the grammar rules for 什么时候 (shénme shíhou) — "when":
In-situ positioning: 什么时候 sits where the time expression would go. Chinese time expressions appear before the verb but after the subject: Subject + [Time] + Verb. So 什么时候 goes in that same slot: 你什么时候来？(You + when + come?) — never *什么时候你来？(fronted, English-style).
Embedded "when" clauses: In embedded questions, 什么时候 stays in place inside the subordinate clause: 我不知道他什么时候会来 (I don't know [he when will come]). There is no movement, no inversion, no "when" moved to the front. The Chinese embedded question mirrors the simple question — only the matrix verb 不知道 changes.
什么时候 + 都 — "at any time / whenever": 他什么时候来都欢迎 (He is welcome whenever he comes). 什么时候你需要我，我都在 (Whenever you need me, I am here). Like all question words + 都, the combination creates universality — "any when."
从什么时候起 — "since when / from what point": 从 (from) + 什么时候 (when) + 起 (start/beginning) = "from what time did [X] begin?" 不知道从什么时候起他变了 (I don't know when he started to change). The 起 marks the starting point of a change or period.
是…什么时候…的 — identifying when: 你是什么时候来的？(When was it that you came?) — the 是…的 structure from Lesson 32, with 什么时候 as the focus. This identifies the time of a past action as the key information: When exactly?
等到什么时候 — "wait until when": 等 (wait) + 到 (until/reaching) + 什么时候 = "wait until when?" — expressing frustration at an indefinite future: 等到什么时候他才肯来？(Until when will he be willing to come?). The 才 marks the result as delayed and awaited.
Common Mistakes: - Fronting 什么时候: *什么时候你来？— wrong; must be 你什么时候来？ - Confusing 什么时候 (when — open) with 几点 (what time — clock): 你几点来？(What time are you coming — clock time?); 你什么时候来？(When are you coming — day, period, etc.) - Adding 吗: *你什么时候来吗？— redundant; 什么时候 already signals a question
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什么时候该放手 (when to let go) is a recurring theme in Chinese popular philosophy. The wisdom of timing — 时机 (shíjī) — is a major category in Chinese strategic thought. Sun Zi's Art of War devotes extensive attention to knowing when to act and when to wait. The question 什么时候 is therefore not only grammatical but strategic: correct action at the wrong time fails; patience until the right 什么时候 is a form of mastery.
不知道从什么时候起 (I don't know when it was that…) is a narrative device in contemporary Chinese fiction and social media writing — it marks the unnoticed onset of change. The speaker cannot identify the exact moment; it happened gradually, outside awareness. This use of 什么时候 as a marker of temporal uncertainty resonates with Chinese Buddhist awareness of impermanence: change happens, but its beginning cannot always be found.
什么时候你需要我，我都在 (Whenever you need me, I am here) is one of the most common expressions of unconditional support in Chinese. The 什么时候…都 structure makes the promise absolute: no time is excluded.
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李白 (Lǐ Bái), 《静夜思》— Thoughts on a Quiet Night, c. 726 CE
The most memorised poem in Chinese — four lines known by virtually every Chinese speaker. Its central emotion is the question of 什么时候 — when will I return?
床前明月光，疑是地上霜。举头望明月，低头思故乡。
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
床前 (chuáng qián) bed-before 明月 (míng yuè) bright-moon 光 (guāng) light ，
疑 (yí) suspect 是 (shì) is 地上 (dì shàng) ground-on 霜 (shuāng) frost 。
举头 (jǔ tóu) raise-head 望 (wàng) gaze-at 明月 (míng yuè) bright-moon ，
低头 (dī tóu) lower-head 思 (sī) think-of 故乡 (gùxiāng) hometown
F-B: Authentic Text with Translation
床前明月光，疑是地上霜。举头望明月，低头思故乡。
"Bright moonlight before the bed — I suspect it is frost on the ground. I raise my head to gaze at the bright moon; I lower my head and think of home."
F-C: Authentic Text Only
床前明月光，疑是地上霜。举头望明月，低头思故乡。
F-D: Grammar and Vocabulary Notes
疑是 (yí shì): "suspect it is / seems to be" — 疑 (doubt/suspect) + 是 (is). The moonlight on the floor looks like frost. The confusion — moonlight or frost — captures the disorientation of waking in an unfamiliar place.
举头 / 低头 (jǔ tóu / dī tóu): "raise head / lower head" — classical four-character pair: look up at the moon, look down toward home. The contrast of up and down encodes the contrast between the universal (the moon, the same everywhere) and the particular (home, far away).
思故乡 (sī gùxiāng): "think of hometown" — 思 (classical: think of/miss) = modern 想. 故乡 (old village/hometown): 故 (old/former) + 乡 (village/countryside). The lesson word 什么时候 is the question under the poem — the unexpressed 什么时候才能回家？(When will I return home?) — the poem is built on the impossibility of answering it.
F-E: Literary Commentary
静夜思 never asks 什么时候. It does not need to. The raising and lowering of the head — the moon, then the floor, then home — enacts the question without posing it. 什么时候能回家？(When can I go home?) is the grief the poem contains. Chinese poetry's greatest resource is this: to let the reader feel the question without the poem asking it. The lesson word 什么时候 is most powerful when, as in Li Bai's most famous poem, it goes unspoken.
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A series of text messages exchanged between two people over several months. 什么时候 appears in every register — question, embedded clause, universal, temporal anchor — as both people negotiate distance, time, and each other.
43.16a A: 你 you 什么时候 when 有空 have-free-time ？ 好久 very-long 没 not-PAST 见 see 了 PERF
43.16b (nǐ) you (shénme shíhou) when (yǒu kòng) have-free-time? (hǎo jiǔ) very-long (méi) not-PAST (jiàn) see (le) PERF
43.17a B: 这周 this-week 比较忙 relatively-busy ， , 下周 next-week 应该 should 有空 have-free-time 。 你 you 什么时候 when 方便** convenient ？
43.17b (zhè zhōu) this-week (bǐjiào máng) relatively-busy (xià zhōu) next-week (yīnggāi) should (yǒu kòng) have-free-time (nǐ) you (shénme shíhou) when (fāngbiàn) convenient?
43.18a A: 什么时候 whenever 都 all 行 fine ， , 你 you 定 decide 吧 SUGG
43.18b (shénme shíhou) whenever (dōu) all (xíng) fine (nǐ) you (dìng) decide (ba) SUGG
43.19a B: 好 ok ， , 周五 Friday 晚上 evening ？
43.19b (hǎo) ok (zhōuwǔ) Friday (wǎnshang) evening?
43.20a A: 没问题 no-problem 。 对了 by-the-way ， , 你 you 什么时候 when 能 can 把 BA 上次 last-time 借 borrowed 我 me 的 DE 书 book 还 return 我** me ？
43.20b (méi wèntí) no-problem (duì le) by-the-way (nǐ) you (shénme shíhou) when (néng) can (bǎ) BA (shàng cì) last-time (jiè) borrowed (wǒ) me (de) DE (shū) book (huán) return (wǒ) me?
43.21a B: 我 I 忘 forgot 了 PERF ！ 周五 Friday 带 bring 给 to 你 you 。 顺便问 by-the-way-ask ， , 你 you 是 were 什么时候 when 开始 started 看 read 那本 that-CL-vol 书 book 的 DE ？
43.21b (wǒ) I (wàng le) forgot-PERF (zhōuwǔ) Friday (dài) bring (gěi) to (nǐ) you (shùnbiàn wèn) by-the-way-ask (nǐ) you (shì) were (shénme shíhou) when (kāishǐ) started (kàn) read (nà běn) that-CL-vol (shū) book (de) DE?
43.22a A: 大概 roughly 三个月前 three-months-ago 。 不知道 not-know 你 you 什么时候 when 看完 finish-reading ， , 我 I 以为 thought 你 you 早 long-ago 还我 returned-to-me 了** PERF
43.22b (dàgài) roughly (sān gè yuè qián) three-months-ago (bù zhīdào) not-know (nǐ) you (shénme shíhou) when (kàn wán) finish-reading (wǒ) I (yǐwéi) thought (nǐ) you (zǎo) long-ago (huán wǒ) returned-to-me (le) PERF
43.23a B: 对不起 sorry ！ 周五 Friday 一定 certainly 还 return 。 然后 then ， , 你 you 什么时候 when 打算 plan 再去 go-again 那个 that-CL 地方 place ？
43.23b (duìbuqǐ) sorry! (zhōuwǔ) Friday (yīdìng) certainly (huán) return (ránhòu) then (nǐ) you (shénme shíhou) when (dǎsuàn) plan (zài qù) go-again (nàge) that-CL (dìfāng) place?
43.24a A: 还没定 not-yet-decided 。 不知道 not-know 什么时候 when 有机会 have-chance 。 你呢 you-then ？
43.24b (hái méi dìng) not-yet-decided (bù zhīdào) not-know (shénme shíhou) when (yǒu jīhuì) have-chance (nǐ ne) you-then?
43.25a B: 我也 I-also 不确定 not-sure 。 感觉 feel 好多 so-many 事情 things 都 all 不知道 not-know 什么时候 when 才 only-then 能确定** can-confirm
43.25b (wǒ yě) I-also (bù quèdìng) not-sure (gǎnjué) feel (hǎo duō) so-many (shìqing) things (dōu) all (bù zhīdào) not-know (shénme shíhou) when (cái) only-then (néng quèdìng) can-confirm
43.26a A: 是啊 yes-PART 。 但 but 什么时候 whenever 能去 can-go ， , 记得 remember 告诉 tell 我 me 。**
43.26b (shì a) yes-PART (dàn) but (shénme shíhou) whenever (néng qù) can-go (jìdé) remember (gàosu) tell (wǒ) me
43.27a B: 好 ok 。 对了 by-the-way ， , 你 you 什么时候 when 打算 plan 告诉 tell 她** her ？
43.27b (hǎo) ok (duì le) by-the-way (nǐ) you (shénme shíhou) when (dǎsuàn) plan (gàosu) tell (tā) her?
43.28a A: 沉默 [silence] 。 不知道 not-know 。 也许 maybe …… [hesitation]
43.28b (chénmò) [silence] (bù zhīdào) not-know (yěxǔ) maybe……
43.29a B: 总 always 要 must 有 there-is 个 CL 什么时候 when 的 PART 。
43.29b (zǒng) always (yào) must (yǒu) there-is (gè) CL (shénme shíhou) when (de) PART
43.30a A: 我知道 I-know 。 周五 Friday 见 see 。
43.30b (wǒ zhīdào) I-know (zhōuwǔ) Friday (jiàn) see
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43.16 A: 你什么时候有空？好久没见了。 "When do you have free time? It's been so long."
43.17 B: 这周比较忙，下周应该有空。你什么时候方便？ "This week is quite busy — next week should be free. When is convenient for you?"
43.18 A: 什么时候都行，你定吧。 "Whenever is fine — you decide."
43.19 B: 好，周五晚上？ "OK — Friday evening?"
43.20 A: 没问题。对了，你什么时候能把上次借我的书还我？ "No problem. By the way — when can you return the book you borrowed from me?"
43.21 B: 我忘了！周五带给你。顺便问，你是什么时候开始看那本书的？ "I forgot! I'll bring it Friday. By the way — when did you start reading that book?"
43.22 A: 大概三个月前。不知道你什么时候看完，我以为你早还我了。 "About three months ago. I didn't know when you'd finish — I thought you'd returned it long ago."
43.23 B: 对不起！周五一定还。然后，你什么时候打算再去那个地方？ "Sorry! Definitely returning it Friday. Then — when do you plan to go back to that place?"
43.24 A: 还没定。不知道什么时候有机会。你呢？ "Not decided yet. Don't know when there'll be a chance. And you?"
43.25 B: 我也不确定。感觉好多事情都不知道什么时候才能确定。 "I'm not sure either. So many things — I don't know when they'll be settled."
43.26 A: 是啊。但什么时候能去，记得告诉我。 "Yes. But whenever you can go — remember to tell me."
43.27 B: 好。对了，你什么时候打算告诉她？ "OK. By the way — when do you plan to tell her?"
43.28 A: 沉默。不知道。也许…… "Silence. I don't know. Maybe…"
43.29 B: 总要有个什么时候的。 "There always has to be a 'when.'"
43.30 A: 我知道。周五见。 "I know. See you Friday."
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43.16 A: 你什么时候有空？好久没见了。 43.17 B: 这周比较忙，下周应该有空。你什么时候方便？ 43.18 A: 什么时候都行，你定吧。 43.19 B: 好，周五晚上？ 43.20 A: 没问题。对了，你什么时候能把上次借我的书还我？ 43.21 B: 我忘了！周五带给你。顺便问，你是什么时候开始看那本书的？ 43.22 A: 大概三个月前。不知道你什么时候看完，我以为你早还我了。 43.23 B: 对不起！周五一定还。然后，你什么时候打算再去那个地方？ 43.24 A: 还没定。不知道什么时候有机会。你呢？ 43.25 B: 我也不确定。感觉好多事情都不知道什么时候才能确定。 43.26 A: 是啊。但什么时候能去，记得告诉我。 43.27 B: 好。对了，你什么时候打算告诉她？ 43.28 A: 沉默。不知道。也许…… 43.29 B: 总要有个什么时候的。 43.30 A: 我知道。周五见。
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总要有个什么时候的 (zǒng yào yǒu gè shénme shíhou de): "There always has to be a 'when.'" 总 (always) + 要 (must) + 有 (there is) + 个 (one measure word — treating 什么时候 as a countable thing) + 什么时候 + 的 (assertive sentence-final particle). 什么时候 used as a noun — "a when" — a moment that must eventually arrive. The sentence treats time itself as something that can be counted: one when, just one, is needed.
以为 (yǐwéi): "thought / assumed (incorrectly)" — 以 (use/with) + 为 (consider/take as). 以为 introduces a mistaken belief: 我以为你早还我了 (I assumed you had returned it long ago — but you hadn't). Distinct from 认为 (rènwéi, think/believe — neutral, may be correct): 我认为他说得对 (I think he is right). 以为 always implies the belief turned out to be wrong.
顺便 (shùnbiàn): "by the way / in passing" — 顺 (along with/convenient) + 便 (convenient). 顺便问 = ask by the way, while we're at it. 顺便 introduces something added to a conversation or action that was convenient to add: 你去超市顺便帮我买牛奶 (Go to the supermarket and while you're there buy me milk).
应该 (yīnggāi): "should / ought to" — modal verb expressing expectation or obligation. 下周应该有空 (Next week should be free — I expect it will be). Distinct from 要 (planning to) and 可以 (permitted to). 应该 covers: moral should (你应该道歉 — you should apologise), expectation should (天气应该好 — the weather should be good), and mild obligation.
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什么时候 (shénme shíhou) — IPA: /ʂən˧˥.mə.ʂɻ̩˧˥.hoʊ̯/
什 (shén): second tone — retroflex [ʂ] + nasal vowel [ən], rising. 么 (me): neutral tone — reduced to [mə], completely unstressed. 时 (shí): second tone — retroflex [ʂ] + retroflex vowel [ɻ̩] (the special -i after retroflex initials — a buzzing vowel with no lip rounding), rising. 候 (hòu): fourth tone — [h] + [oʊ̯], falling; though in the compound 时候, 候 often takes a lighter, nearly neutral tone in fast speech.
In rapid conversational speech, 什么时候 often contracts to approximately [ʂɛ̃mʂɻhou] — the 什么 blurs and shortens. This is expected and natural. The learner should practise the full form until it flows, then allow natural contraction.
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