AdverbsHSK 4
Expressing lateness with 才
Use 才 after a time expression to emphasize that an action happened late or later than expected. It often translates to 'not until' or 'as late as' in English.
Estructura
Subj. + Time + 才 + Verb
Ejemplos
- 我昨天晚上十一点才到家。Wǒ zuó tiān wǎn shàng shí yī diǎn cái dào jiā.I didn't arrive at home until eleven o'clock last night.
- 他二十五岁才上大学。Tā èr shí wǔ suì cái shàng dà xué.He didn't go to college until he was 25.
- 她四十岁才结婚。Tā sì shí suì cái jié hūn.She didn't get married until she was forty.
- 你九点上班，八点半才起床？Nǐ jiǔ diǎn shàng bān, bā diǎn bàn cái qǐ chuáng?You start work at nine o'clock, but don't get up until 8:30?
- 电影七点半开始，可是因为堵车，我们八点才到。Diàn yǐng qī diǎn bàn kāi shǐ, kě shì yīn wèi dǔ chē, wǒ men bā diǎn cái dào.The movie began at 7:30, but we didn't arrive until eight because of traffic.