How to Say ‘When I was sick, she cooked for me.’ in Simplified Chinese
我生病的时候，她给我做饭。
wǒ shēng bìng de shí hòu tā gěi wǒ zuò fàn
[wo shēngbìng de shíhou tā gěi waw zuòfàn]
🇨🇳 In China: Cooking for someone who is sick is a classic sign of care in China. Mentioning it tells her friends that she looks after you, which they'll be glad to hear.
Phrase Breakdown
我生病的时候，
wǒ shēng bìng de shí hòu
when I was sick,
This is a time clause: 我生病 (I get sick) + 的时候 (when). Pause briefly at the comma.
我生病的时候，我在家。
When I'm sick, I stay home.
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
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.
她给我做饭。
tā gěi wǒ zuò fàn
she cooked for me.
给我 (gěi wǒ) means 'for me'. The tone change makes it géi wǒ. 做饭 is two falling tones.
妈妈给我做饭。
Mom cooks for me.
Words in this phrase
她
tā
[tā]
her; she
Third-person pronoun for a female.
她是我的朋友。
She is my friend.
给
gěi
[gěi]
for
Preposition indicating the person who benefits from an action.
我给你倒水。
I'll pour water for you.
我
wǒ
[waw]
me
First person pronoun used as the object, referring to the speaker.
这个发展机会很适合我。
This development opportunity suits me very well.
做饭
zuò fàn
[zuòfàn]
to cook (a meal)
Literally 'make rice'; the everyday way to say cooking a meal.
妈妈每天做饭。
Mom cooks every day.
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