<p>If you use the adjectival '的', then it has to be '当我回家的时候' (at the time I come home) - <em>时候(time/ moment) is a noun</em></p>

<p>If you don't use the adjectival '的' then you can write '当我回家时' (when I come home) - <em>时 (when) is an adverb</em></p>

<p>当我回家的时候 = at the time I come home</p>

<p>当我回家时 = when I come home</p>

<p>当我正在回家的时候 = during the time I was coming home</p>

<p>当我正在回家时 = when I was coming home</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-11T04:21:15.620Z
Is 当 optional in the cases ending in 的时候?
Ben Jackson
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-11T04:52:59.267Z
@Ben Jackson  Yes, '当我回家的时候' = 'at the time I went home' ; '我回家的时候' = 'the time I went home' ; Since we can remove 'at '  in English, we can remove '当' in Chinese without changing the meaning of the sentence. Both 'at' and  '当' are already implied
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-10T01:04:40.720Z
2019-02-10T01:04:40.720Z
Tang Ho
<p>当我回家的时候 is OK</p>

<p>You can also do this without an explicit 'when'.</p>

<p>I saw a fox when I was coming home.
我看到一条狐狸，在我回家的路上。</p>

<p>When I was coming home, I saw a fox.
我在回家的路上看到一条狐狸。</p>

<p>I find it is not so easy to move things around in Chinese sentences.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-11T02:40:29.013Z
2019-02-11T02:40:29.013Z
Pedroski
<p>Could I say </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>当我回家的时</p>
</blockquote>

<p>for "when I was coming home"?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-10T11:01:59.290Z
http://www.iciba.com/when
user6065
<mandarin><vocabulary>
Not sure what I should use for "when"?
# Not sure what I should use for "when"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-02-09)

Could I say

> 当我回家的时

for "when I was coming home"?

**Tags:** mandarin, vocabulary

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: http://www.iciba.com/when  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-02-10. Score: 1

If you use the adjectival '的', then it has to be '当我回家的时候' (at the time I come home) - *时候(time/ moment) is a noun*

If you don't use the adjectival '的' then you can write '当我回家时' (when I come home) - *时 (when) is an adverb*

当我回家的时候 = at the time I come home

当我回家时 = when I come home

当我正在回家的时候 = during the time I was coming home

当我正在回家时 = when I was coming home

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Is 当 optional in the cases ending in 的时候?  
> **username_2**: @username_3  Yes, '当我回家的时候' = 'at the time I went home' ; '我回家的时候' = 'the time I went home' ; Since we can remove 'at '  in English, we can remove '当' in Chinese without changing the meaning of the sentence. Both 'at' and  '当' are already implied  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2019-02-11. Score: 0

当我回家的时候 is OK

You can also do this without an explicit 'when'.

I saw a fox when I was coming home.
我看到一条狐狸，在我回家的路上。

When I was coming home, I saw a fox.
我在回家的路上看到一条狐狸。

I find it is not so easy to move things around in Chinese sentences.


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