现在
now
HSK 1
Lesson 7 · 我晚上六点半下班
What you'll learn
Read common time points, talk about work and class times, use `吧` to suggest plans, and use `呢` to show an existing arrangement.
1
Listen and Read
Use an after-work study plan to practice time points, `吧`, and `呢`.
小林
现在几点？
What time is it now?
小方
现在下午五点二十分。
It's 5:20 in the afternoon.
小林
你晚上几点下班？
What time do you finish work this evening?
小方
我晚上六点半下班。
I finish work at 6:30 in the evening.
小林
我们七点见吧。
Let's meet at 7:00.
小方
我七点有中文课呢。
I have Chinese class at 7:00.
小林
你几点下课？
What time do you finish class?
小方
我七点半下课。
I finish class at 7:30.
小林
我们七点四十见吧。
Let's meet at 7:40.
小方
好，七点四十见。
Okay. See you at 7:40.
2
Core Words
First learn to ask the current time and read time periods during the day.
点
o'clock
分
minute in clock time
半
half; thirty minutes
早上
early morning
上午
morning
中午
noon
下午
afternoon
晚上
evening
3
Learning Note
When there are minutes, read `点 + 分`. Thirty minutes can also be `半`.
For time, use `点` for the hour. When there are minutes, say `点 + 分`. Thirty minutes is often `半`, as in `六点半`.
早上八点
8:00 in the early morning
上午九点二十五分
9:25 in the morning
下午三点零五分
3:05 in the afternoon
晚上六点半
6:30 in the evening
4
Pattern: `早上 / 上午 / 下午 / 晚上 + 数字 + 点 + 分`
Say the time period first, then the exact hour and minute.
早上 / 上午 / 下午 / 晚上 + 数字 + 点 + 分
`点` marks the hour, and `分` marks minutes. Thirty minutes can be `三十分` or `半`. For fewer than ten minutes, say `零` before the minute.
现在下午五点二十分。
It is 5:20 in the afternoon now.
下午三点零五分
3:05 in the afternoon
晚上六点半
6:30 in the evening
5
Quick Practice
First practice how to say 5:20 in Chinese.
Complete the prompt: `A：现在几点？ B：现在______。`
Which option says `5:20 in the afternoon`?
6
Core Words
Use these words to talk about starting class, finishing class, starting work, and getting off work.
课
class; lesson
上课
to attend class
下课
to finish class
上班
to go to work; be at work
下班
to finish work
见
to meet; see
事
thing; matter
7
Pattern: `主语 + 时间 + 动作`
When saying when something happens, the time usually comes before the action.
主语 + 时间 + 动作
In Chinese, time words often come before the verb. Say the person first, then the time, and then the action.
我晚上六点半下班。
I finish work at 6:30 in the evening.
她上午九点上课。
She has class at 9:00 in the morning.
我们下午三点二十见。
We meet at 3:20 in the afternoon.
他晚上六点上班。
He starts work at 6:00 in the evening.
8
Quick Practice
Practice the order `subject + time + action`.
Complete the prompt: `A：你几点下班？ B：我______。`
Which option means I finish work at 6:30 in the evening?
9
Core Words
These words help your schedule sentences sound more natural.
吧
sentence particle for suggestions
呢
sentence particle for pointing out an existing plan
分钟
minute of duration
后
after; later
10
Pattern: `建议句 + 吧`
Sentence-final `吧` makes a suggestion sound softer.
建议句 + 吧
When discussing a plan or making a suggestion, add `吧` at the end. It sounds softer than a direct command.
我们七点半见吧。
Let's meet at 7:30.
你休息吧。
You should rest.
我们学习中文吧。
Let's study Chinese.
11
Quick Practice
Use `吧` to suggest a meeting time.
Complete the prompt: `A：我们七点半______。 B：好。`
Which option means let’s meet at 7:30?
12
Pattern: `主语 + 时间 + 已有安排 + 呢`
When someone suggests a plan, use `呢` to point out that you already have another arrangement.
主语 + 时间 + 已有安排 + 呢
If someone says `我们七点见吧` and you already have class at seven, you can say `我七点有中文课呢`. Here, `呢` does not ask a new question. It reminds the other person that you already have this arrangement and sounds softer than just saying no.
我七点有中文课呢。
I already have Chinese class at 7:00.
她晚上上班呢。
She already has work in the evening.
他下午学习中文呢。
He already has Chinese study in the afternoon.
13
Quick Practice
Use `呢` to show an existing arrangement.
Complete the prompt: `A：我们七点见吧。 B：我七点有中文课______。`
Which option shows that you already have class at seven?
14
Learning Note
To say you will meet after a short time, use `分钟后`.
`二十分钟后见` means see you in twenty minutes. It is still a time expression, so keep the focus on time.
二十分钟后见
see you in twenty minutes
15
Learning Note
Finally, read the time, schedule, and sentence particles together.
After this lesson, focus on two sentence types: when someone does something, and how to use `吧` and `呢` to sound more natural.
现在下午五点二十分。
It's 5:20 in the afternoon.
我晚上六点半下班。
I finish work at 6:30 in the evening.
我们七点半见吧。
Let's meet at 7:30.
我七点有中文课呢。
I already have Chinese class at 7:00.