How to Say ‘When I was sick’ in Simplified Chinese
我生病的时候
wǒ shēng bìng de shí hòu
[wo shēngbìng de shíhou]
💬 Usage Tip: To say "when X", put 的时候 after the whole event, so the time phrase comes first. For example, 我小的时候 means "when I was little".
Phrase Breakdown
我生病
wǒ shēng bìng
I am sick
我 (wǒ, I) + 生病 (shēngbìng, to get sick). The bìng is a sharp falling fourth tone.
我生病了。
I'm sick.
Words in this phrase
我
wǒ
[wo]
I
The speaker referring to themselves.
我明天有空。
I am free tomorrow.
生病
shēng bìng
[shēngbìng]
to get sick
A verb-object phrase meaning to fall ill.
他昨天生病了。
He got sick yesterday.
的时候
de shí hòu
when / at the time of
...的时候 (de shíhou) comes after an action and means 'when...'. 的 is light and neutral, and 候 is also light: de shí-hou.
吃饭的时候
when eating
Words in this phrase
的
de
[de]
of
Expressing the relationship between items.
这是我的书。
This is my book.
时候
shí hòu
[shíhou]
time; moment (when)
Used after a phrase to mean 'when ...'.
吃饭的时候别看手机。
Don't look at your phone while eating.
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