<blockquote>
<p>Use the verb &quot;<strong>是</strong>&quot; to tell 'what time it <strong>is</strong>'</p>
<p>e.g. 现在<strong>是</strong>九点 (it <strong>is</strong> nine O'clock)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Use the preposition &quot;<strong>在</strong>&quot; to tell '<strong>at</strong> what time'</p>
<p>e.g. <strong>在</strong>九点鐘 (<strong>at</strong> nine O'clock)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>'at' in &quot;I will meet with the principal at 4 o'clock.&quot; is &quot;在&quot; in Chinese</p>
<p>我會(I will) <strong>在</strong>(<strong>at</strong>) 四點鐘(four o'clock) 會見 (meet) 校長 (the principal)”</p>
<p>preposition [at] + [time] = [在] + [時間]</p>
<p>At four o'clock = 在四點鐘</p>
<p>On Sunday = 在星期天</p>
<p>At the first of July  = 在七月一號</p>
<p>In 2020 = 在二零二零年</p>
<p><em>You can use 於 (more literary) instead of 在 (more colloquial)</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-24T23:10:30.060Z
2019-01-25T01:18:22.187Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>In English, when telling time, a verb is used: "Now it <strong>is</strong> 9 o'clock." Additionally, when telling at what time, a preposition is used: "I will meet with the principal <strong>at</strong> 4 o'clock." In Chinese is a verb used when telling time (i.e.: 现在是九点 vs 现在几点), and is a preposition used when telling at what time in a sentence?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-25T02:01:41.843Z
see sentence with a nominal predicate 名词谓语句 https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/10008/can-%e5%a4%a9%e7%a9%ba%e4%b8%80%e7%89%87%e8%94%9a%e8%97%8d-also-be-%e4%b8%80%e7%89%87%e8%94%9a%e8%97%8d%e5%a4%a9%e7%a9%ba-and-translation-please/10011#10011 when indicating age, birth place, date, weather, quantity, price, etc. no verb (like 是）is used, 现在几点钟? seems to be an example where it also applies to asking for the time, however when telling the time use of 是 seems to be more common:  
现在是两点多钟, but 现在两点多钟 might also be acceptable
user6065
<translation><grammar>
Use of Preposition or Verb with telling time
# Use of Preposition or Verb with telling time

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-01-24)

In English, when telling time, a verb is used: "Now it **is** 9 o'clock." Additionally, when telling at what time, a preposition is used: "I will meet with the principal **at** 4 o'clock." In Chinese is a verb used when telling time (i.e.: 现在是九点 vs 现在几点), and is a preposition used when telling at what time in a sentence?

**Tags:** translation, grammar

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: see sentence with a nominal predicate 名词谓语句 https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/10008/can-%e5%a4%a9%e7%a9%ba%e4%b8%80%e7%89%87%e8%94%9a%e8%97%8d-also-be-%e4%b8%80%e7%89%87%e8%94%9a%e8%97%8d%e5%a4%a9%e7%a9%ba-and-translation-please/10011#10011 when indicating age, birth place, date, weather, quantity, price, etc. no verb (like 是）is used, 现在几点钟? seems to be an example where it also applies to asking for the time, however when telling the time use of 是 seems to be more common:   现在是两点多钟, but 现在两点多钟 might also be acceptable  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-01-24. Score: 3

> Use the verb "**是**" to tell 'what time it **is**'
>
> e.g. 现在**是**九点 (it **is** nine O'clock)

~

> Use the preposition "**在**" to tell '**at** what time'
>
> e.g. **在**九点鐘 (**at** nine O'clock)

'at' in "I will meet with the principal at 4 o'clock." is "在" in Chinese

我會(I will) **在**(**at**) 四點鐘(four o'clock) 會見 (meet) 校長 (the principal)”

preposition [at] + [time] = [在] + [時間]

At four o'clock = 在四點鐘

On Sunday = 在星期天

At the first of July = 在七月一號

In 2020 = 在二零二零年

*You can use 於 (more literary) instead of 在 (more colloquial)*


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