Time adverbs tell when something happens, how often it happens, or how long it lasts. They answer questions like when, how often, and for how long, and they help place events on a timeline. They can refer to a specific point in time, a repeated schedule, or a duration.

Time adverbs often fall into three meaning groups: when, frequency, and duration. When adverbs locate an event at a time point or relative time like today or soon. Frequency adverbs show repetition like always or sometimes, while duration expressions show length of time like for two hours or all day.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 例子
when	🕒 何时	locates the time of an event	🕒 定位事件的时间点	I will call you tomorrow.	🕒 我明天会打电话给你。
frequency	🔁 频率	shows how often something happens	🔁 显示某事发生的频率	She often walks to work.	🔁 她经常步行上班。
duration	⏳ 持续时间	shows how long something lasts	⏳ 显示某事持续多久	We stayed for two hours.	⏳ 我们待了两个小时。

Point-in-time adverbs refer to one moment or a clear time period on the calendar. They can be exact like yesterday, or relative like soon and already, which connect the action to the present or another reference time. These adverbs commonly appear at the beginning or end of the clause, depending on what you want to emphasize.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 例子
today	📅 今天	on this day	📅 在这一天	I’m busy today.	📅 我今天很忙。
yesterday	📅 昨天	on the day before today	📅 今天之前的那一天	We met yesterday.	📅 我们昨天见过。
tomorrow	📅 明天	on the day after today	📅 今天之后的那一天	They leave tomorrow.	📅 他们明天离开。
soon	⏭️ 很快	in a short time from now	⏭️ 现在起不久	I’ll be ready soon.	⏭️ 我很快就准备好了。
already	✅ 已经	earlier than expected or before now	✅ 比预期更早或在现在之前	He has already eaten.	✅ 他已经吃过了。
still	🕰️ 仍然	continuing up to now	🕰️ 一直到现在仍在继续	She is still working.	🕰️ 她仍在工作。

Some time adverbs link two events rather than naming a calendar time. Words like before and afterwards show sequence, while just and recently show closeness to the present. These are especially useful when telling stories or explaining steps because they make the order of events clear.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 例子
before	⬅️ 之前	earlier than a time or event	⬅️ 比一个时间或事件更早	I had seen her before.	⬅️ 我之前见过她。
after	➡️ 之后	later than a time or event	➡️ 比一个时间或事件晚	We ate after class.	➡️ 我们下课后吃饭。
then	🔜 然后	next in time or sequence	🔜 时间或顺序中的下一个	Finish this, then rest.	🔜 完成这个，然后休息。
afterwards	🧭 之后	later, after something	🧭 之后，某事发生之后	We talked afterwards.	🧭 我们随后谈话。
recently	🆕 最近	not long ago	🆕 不久前	I recently moved.	🆕 我最近搬家了。
just	⚡ 刚刚	a very short time ago	⚡ 发生在很短的时间前	They just arrived.	⚡ 他们刚到达。

Frequency adverbs show how often an action happens, from 0% to 100%. They are most commonly placed before the main verb, but after the verb be. In questions, they typically follow the subject and come before the main verb, keeping the frequency meaning close to the action.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 例子
always	💯 总是	at all times	💯 在任何时间	I always drink coffee.	💯 我总是喝咖啡。
usually	📌 通常	in most cases	📌 在大多数情况下	We usually eat early.	📌 我们通常很早吃饭。
often	🔁 经常	many times	🔁 很多次	He often travels.	🔁 他经常出差。
sometimes	🌗 有时	on some occasions	🌗 在某些场合	She sometimes calls.	🌗 她有时打电话。
հազ редко	极少地	rarely	🧊 很少	not often	🧊 不常	They rarely argue.	🧊 他们很少争吵。

With most verbs, put a frequency adverb before the main verb to describe the action clearly. With the verb be, place the adverb after be. With auxiliaries like have, will, can, and do, place the frequency adverb after the auxiliary and before the main verb.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 例子
Put frequency adverbs before the main verb	🧠 将频率副词放在主谓动词之前	She often studies at night.	🧠 她经常在夜间学习。
Put frequency adverbs after be	🧠 将频率副词放在 be 之后	They are usually on time.	🧠 他们通常准时。
With auxiliaries, place it after the auxiliary	🧠 对于助动词，将其放在助动词之后	I have never seen that.	🧠 我从未见过那件事。
In negatives, keep it near the verb phrase	🧠 在否定句中，保持它在动词短语附近	We don’t usually eat out.	🧠 我们通常不在外面吃饭。

Duration tells how long an action or state continues. English often uses prepositional phrases like for plus a length of time, or since plus a starting point. Some common duration adverbs like all day and lately also express ongoing time without giving an exact number.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 例子
Use for plus a length of time	⏳ 使用 for 加上时间长度	I waited for 30 minutes.	⏳ 我等了 30 分钟。
Use since plus a starting point	📍 使用 since 加上起始点	She has lived here since 2020.	📍 她自 2020 年以来一直住在这里。
Use all plus a time period for continuous duration	🕰️ 使用 all 加上一个时间段来表示持续时间	He worked all night.	🕰️ 他整夜都在工作。
Use lately or recently for a general recent period	📆 使用 lately 或 recently 表示一般的最近一段时间	I’ve been tired lately.	📆 我最近一直很累。

Many time adverbs can move within the sentence, but position changes what feels emphasized. Beginning position sets the time frame as the topic, while end position sounds neutral and is very common. Mid position is typical for frequency adverbs and for short time adverbs that connect closely to the verb phrase.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 例子
Beginning position highlights the time frame	🎯 开头位置凸显时间框架	Tomorrow, we start early.	🎯 明天，我们很早就开始。
End position is neutral and common	🎯 句末位置中性且常见	We start early tomorrow.	🎯 我们明天一大早开始。
Mid position is typical for frequency	🎯 中间位置对频率副词很典型	We usually start early.	🎯 我们通常很早就开始。
Avoid splitting fixed phrases	🎯 避免拆分固定短语	I stayed for two hours.	🎯 我待了两个小时。

Time adverbs often signal which tense fits the meaning. Finished past times like yesterday commonly pair with past simple, while since and recently often appear with present perfect when the time connects to now. Future time adverbs like tomorrow or next week commonly pair with will or present continuous for plans.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 例子
Finished past time often uses past simple	🕰️ 已完成的过去时间通常使用一般过去时	I saw him yesterday.	🕰️ 我昨天见到他。
Time connected to now often uses present perfect	🔗 与现在相关的时间通常使用现在完成时	I have lived here since 2020.	🔗 我自2020年以来一直住在这里。
Future time often uses will or a plan form	📆 未来时间通常使用 will 或计划形式	We’re meeting next week.	📆 我们下周会见面。
Ongoing time can use still with continuous	⏱️ 进行中的时间可在进行时里使用 still	She is still sleeping.	⏱️ 她仍在睡觉。

Some time adverbs naturally pair with each other or with common time phrases to make sequencing clear. Using these combinations helps your speech sound organized and makes timelines easy to follow. Choose pairs that match your meaning: sequence, repetition, or ongoing change.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 例子
then and later	🧭 然后与之后	sequence across steps	🧭 跨步骤的序列	First we ate, then we left later.	🧭 我们先吃，然后稍后离开。
for and since	⏳ for 与 since	duration length vs starting point	⏳ 持续时长 vs 起始点	I’ve worked here for years, since 2019.	⏳ 我在这里工作多年，自2019年以来一直在工作。
once a week	🔁 每周一次	regular frequency schedule	🔁 规律的时间表	I call my parents once a week.	🔁 我每周给父母打一次电话。
no longer	🕰️ 不再	something that stopped being true	🕰️ 曾经为真但现在不再成立	He no longer lives here.	🕰️ 他不再住在这里。

Time adverbs let you express when something happens, how often it happens, and how long it lasts. Focus on meaning first, then place the adverb where it sounds natural: frequency usually in the middle, and time points often at the beginning or end. Use for and since carefully to separate duration length from a starting time.