Time + 才 (not until — lateness) · 时间 + 才
Arrival feels late against a schedule
- You expected to be home by eight, but arrived at eleven.
- 我十一点才到家。 — 才 evaluates the eleven-o'clock arrival as late in this context.
Arrival feels late against a schedule
- You expected to be home by eight, but arrived at eleven.
- I / me我十一点only then / not until才to / arrive到home家。 — only then / not until才 evaluates the eleven-o'clock arrival as late in this context.
You expected to be home by eight, but arrived at eleven. What does 我十一点才到家。 communicate?
才 evaluates the eleven-o'clock arrival as late in this context. The expectation is essential; eleven is not intrinsically late for every schedule. Time+才 often omits 了 in basic examples, but do not extend that tendency to a ban on all constructions with 才 and 了.
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is Time + 才 (not until — lateness). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
I我yesterday昨天eleven o'clock十一点not until才got home到家。
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is Time + only then / not until才 (not until — lateness). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
I我yesterday昨天eleven o'clock十一点not until才got home到家。
Using the lesson pattern in this demonstrated example: Complete: 他二十五岁 ____ 上大学。(He didn't start uni until 25.)
Time + 才 + Verb — 二十五岁才上大学. · 时间 + 才 + 动词 —— 二十五岁才上大学。
Read examples in context
- In the opening example, 我十一点才到家。: 才 evaluates the eleven-o'clock arrival as late in this context.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
Read examples in context
- In the opening example, I / me我十一点only then / not until才to / arrive到home家。: only then / not until才 evaluates the eleven-o'clock arrival as late in this context.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
Which word marks something later than expected? · 哪个词表示比预期更晚?
才 = later than expected; 就 = earlier than expected. · 才 = 比预期晚;就 = 比预期早。
Build: “I didn't get home until eleven (last night).” · 排一排:“昨天十一点才到家。”
Time + 才 + Verb: 昨天 + 十一点 + 才 + 到家. · 时间 + 才 + 动词:昨天 + 十一点 + 才 + 到家。
Know the boundary
- The expectation is essential; eleven is not intrinsically late for every schedule.
- Time+才 often omits 了 in basic examples, but do not extend that tendency to a ban on all constructions with 才 and 了.
Know the boundary
- The expectation is essential; eleven is not intrinsically late for every schedule.
- Time+only then / not until才 often omits (completed / change)了 in basic examples, but do not extend that tendency to a ban on all constructions with only then / not until才 and (completed / change)了.
Time+才 requires 了 after the verb in every sentence.
The basic 十一点才到家 example omits 了. This is not a universal ban on 了 in all more complex 才 constructions.
Eleven o'clock is always late regardless of the expected schedule.
The expectation is essential; eleven is not intrinsically late for every schedule. Time+才 often omits 了 in basic examples, but do not extend that tendency to a ban on all constructions with 才 and 了. 才 evaluates the eleven-o'clock arrival as late in this context.
Use the distinction
- 才 evaluates the eleven-o'clock arrival as late in this context.
- The expectation is essential; eleven is not intrinsically late for every schedule. Time+才 often omits 了 in basic examples, but do not extend that tendency to a ban on all constructions with 才 and 了.
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Adverbs.
Use the distinction
- only then / not until才 evaluates the eleven-o'clock arrival as late in this context.
- The expectation is essential; eleven is not intrinsically late for every schedule. Time+only then / not until才 often omits (completed / change)了 in basic examples, but do not extend that tendency to a ban on all constructions with only then / not until才 and (completed / change)了.
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Adverbs.