<p>&quot;你什么时候开始学中文的?&quot; </p>
When did you start learning Chinese? </p></p>
<p>&quot;你什么时候开始学中文?&quot; </p>
When will you start learning Chinese? </p></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-01T02:11:01.693Z
2021-09-01T02:11:01.693Z
Ming Tong
<p>'什么时候' = 'what time' = 'when'</p>
<p>You can answer with one of the following:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>[Since the time of ]. E.g. &quot;Started since 2016&quot; (從 2016 年開始)</p>
</li>
<li><p>[from a length of time ago]. E.g. &quot;Started from five years ago&quot; (五年前开始)</p>
</li>
</ol>
<blockquote>
<p>Q: &quot;你什么时候开始学中文的?&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>A: &quot;我是從2016年開始学中文的&quot;/ &quot;我是五年前开始学中文的&quot; (long version)</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>A: &quot;從2016年開始&quot;/ &quot;五年前开始&quot; (short version)</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>A: &quot;2016&quot;/ &quot;五年前&quot; (shortest version, just state a year or a length of time ago)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>More example of '什么时候' question:</p>
<p>Q: 你什么时候吃晚飯的?</p>
<p>A: 晚上七時 (a time) If the question is about what is the regular time you have dinner'</p>
<p>A: 三小時前 (a length of time ago) If the question is about what specific time you ate your dinner tonight</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-03T07:28:26.507Z
In your view is 几时 more appropriate than 时候 in the specific context of the question? As in 你几时开始学中文的?
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-03T07:35:53.640Z
I would say 几时 is a more colloquial form of 什么时候. e.g. 我几时叫你做笨蛋了? =  我什么时候叫你做笨蛋了?
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-03T07:39:47.493Z
I asked because normally it is "when", i.e. a certain date when a person starts learning a language, not "what time" as 什么时候 would mean. Unless of course the context is clear that a specific time is asked for, like what time your Chinese language classes start.
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-03T08:03:55.363Z
@Wayne Cheah Now you mentioned it, 几时 seems more specific  and 什么时候 is more general.  Meaning 明天 or 十二點 can be the answer to 什么时候出發; and 十二點 would be the better answer to 几时出發
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-03T07:02:52.943Z
2021-04-03T07:12:50.023Z
2021-04-03T07:12:50.023Z
Tang Ho
<p>Answer the same as you do in your language: if someone asks about time, name a time in your answer!</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;你什么时候开始学中文的?&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Possible answers：</p>
<p>下周一。
Next Monday.</p>
<p>下年八月。
Next year in August.</p>
<p>在冬季。
In winter.</p>
<p>从来没学过。
I never studied Chinese.</p>
<p>我不用学啊，我就是中国人！
Don't need to study, I'm Chinese!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-06T04:58:46.167Z
The question is followed by a `的`, means it is asking about a fact in the past. So the answer should not be a time in the future. Also, `下年` is technically wrong, it should be `明年` as `the next year`. `下半年` is valid, though. It means `the second half of this year`.
Hao Wu
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-06T12:38:45.817Z
You are right! Thank you for telling me, I get carried away sometimes and forget to think clearly!
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-03T13:38:52.717Z
2021-04-03T13:38:52.717Z
Pedroski
<p>How can I answer the question &quot;你什么时候开始学中文的?&quot;
I cannot answer the &quot;什么时候&quot; questions. Can anybody help me please?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-03T14:58:30.263Z
In my view, the "的" implies that the studying had already started and the question is when.
Wayne Cheah
<grammar><mandarin><vocabulary><writing><learning>
How can I answer the question "你什么时候开始学中文的?"
# How can I answer the question "你什么时候开始学中文的?"

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-04-03)

How can I answer the question "你什么时候开始学中文的?"
I cannot answer the "什么时候" questions. Can anybody help me please?

**Tags:** grammar, mandarin, vocabulary, writing, learning

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: In my view, the "的" implies that the studying had already started and the question is when.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-09-01. Score: 1

"你什么时候开始学中文的?"

When did you start learning Chinese? 

"你什么时候开始学中文?"

When will you start learning Chinese?


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2021-04-03. Score: 1

'什么时候' = 'what time' = 'when'

You can answer with one of the following:

1. [Since the time of ]. E.g. "Started since 2016" (從 2016 年開始)
2. [from a length of time ago]. E.g. "Started from five years ago" (五年前开始)

> Q: "你什么时候开始学中文的?"

> A: "我是從2016年開始学中文的"/ "我是五年前开始学中文的" (long version)

> A: "從2016年開始"/ "五年前开始" (short version)

> A: "2016"/ "五年前" (shortest version, just state a year or a length of time ago)

More example of '什么时候' question:

Q: 你什么时候吃晚飯的?

A: 晚上七時 (a time) If the question is about what is the regular time you have dinner'

A: 三小時前 (a length of time ago) If the question is about what specific time you ate your dinner tonight

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: In your view is 几时 more appropriate than 时候 in the specific context of the question? As in 你几时开始学中文的?  
> **username_3**: I would say 几时 is a more colloquial form of 什么时候. e.g. 我几时叫你做笨蛋了? =  我什么时候叫你做笨蛋了?  
> **username_1**: I asked because normally it is "when", i.e. a certain date when a person starts learning a language, not "what time" as 什么时候 would mean. Unless of course the context is clear that a specific time is asked for, like what time your Chinese language classes start.  
> **username_3**: @username_1 Now you mentioned it, 几时 seems more specific  and 什么时候 is more general.  Meaning 明天 or 十二點 can be the answer to 什么时候出發; and 十二點 would be the better answer to 几时出發  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2021-04-03. Score: 0

Answer the same as you do in your language: if someone asks about time, name a time in your answer!

> "你什么时候开始学中文的?"

Possible answers：

下周一。
Next Monday.

下年八月。
Next year in August.

在冬季。
In winter.

从来没学过。
I never studied Chinese.

我不用学啊，我就是中国人！
Don't need to study, I'm Chinese!

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: The question is followed by a `的`, means it is asking about a fact in the past. So the answer should not be a time in the future. Also, `下年` is technically wrong, it should be `明年` as `the next year`. `下半年` is valid, though. It means `the second half of this year`.  
> **username_4**: You are right! Thank you for telling me, I get carried away sometimes and forget to think clearly!  

---

