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Expressing Past / Present / Future

Spoken Description

学习中文时间表达：理解动词的过去、现在和将来时态，使用时间副词和时间状语，掌握实用句型，提升时间的描述能力。适合初学者快速建立时间感，配有例句和练习。

Learn Chinese time expressions: understand verb tenses for past, present, and future, use time adverbs and phrases, and practice common sentence patterns to improve your ability to describe when actions happen. Suitable for beginners.

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中文中的时间表达更多依赖语境和体标记，而不是严格的时态形式。本指南展示用于相对时间的关键词和粒子。

Time in Mandarin is marked more by context and aspect particles than by strict tense forms. This guide shows the key words and particles for situating events relative to speech.

Past

助词 了 le 表示动作完成或变化，而时间副词比如 昨天 zuótiān（“昨天”）则将事件牢固地定位于过去。

The particle 了 le signals a completed action or change, and time adverbs like 昨天 zuótiān ("yesterday") anchor events firmly in the past.
我昨天看了 (yesterday, completed)

I watched it yesterday.

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Present

普通话用动词原形或像 在 zài 这样的粒子来描述习惯性或进行中的状态；时间短语如 现在 xiànzài（“现在”）指导理解。

Mandarin describes habitual or ongoing states with the bare verb or with particles like 在 zài for actions in progress; time phrases such as 现在 xiànzài ("now") guide interpretation.
他现在在学(now, progressive)

He is studying now.

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Future

情态动词 会 huì、要 yào，以及时间副词如 明天 míngtiān（“明天”）表示计划或预期的事件；句子常用这些提示词，而不是专门的将来时。

The modal 会 huì, 要 yào, and time adverbs like 明天 míngtiān ("tomorrow") indicate planned or expected events; sentences often use these cues rather than a dedicated future tense.
我明天会去(tomorrow, future)

I will go to Beijing tomorrow.

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Aspects

粒子如 了 le、过 guò 和 着 zhe 分别标志完成、经历和持续状态，比简单的过去/现在/将来更细腻地表达语义。

Particles such as 了 le, 过 guò, and 着 zhe mark completion, experience, and ongoing state respectively, providing nuance beyond simple past/present/future distinctions.
我去过上海 (experience) and 现在想再去

I have been to Shanghai (before). Now I want to go again.

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Summary

中文中的时间表达依赖于语境、体标记和副词，而非词形变化；学习关键粒子和常用时间词，能够相对清楚地表达动作发生的时间。

Time in Mandarin relies on context, aspect particles, and adverbs rather than inflection; learn key particles and common time words to express when actions occur relative to speech.

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