How Long in Mandarin: Duration After the Verb
By Michael McGettrick and Wee Khang LinUpdated 12 October 2026
English can put "for eight hours" almost anywhere. Mandarin cannot. When something happens goes before the verb; how long it lasts goes after it, as a duration complement (补语, shíliàng bǔyǔ). The complements page introduced the family; this page is the "how long" member.
Quick check
Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.
Pick the right one
0/3Pick the Mandarin for the English.
He slept for eight hours.
I watched TV for two hours.
I waited ten minutes for him.
The whole system on one screen
The colours stay the same all page long:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
。 | Wǒ bā diǎn shuìjiào. | I go to bed at eight |
。 | Wǒ shuì le bā ge xiǎoshí. | I slept for eight hours |
。 | Wǒmen zǒu le yí ge xiǎoshí. | We walked for an hour |
。 | Wǒ děng le shí fēnzhōng. | I waited for ten minutes |
Ask which question the time answers. When? Before the verb. How long? After it, and after the (le).
With an object: three ways
The time wants the slot after the verb, and so does the object. The time wins, or the verb is said twice:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | Note |
|---|---|---|
。 | Wǒ kàn le liǎng ge xiǎoshí diànshì. | time before the object |
。 | Wǒ kàn le liǎng ge xiǎoshí de diànshì. | with (de) |
。 | Wǒ kàn diànshì kàn le liǎng ge xiǎoshí. | verb said twice |
。 | Zhōngwén wǒ xué le sān nián. | object put first |
All mean what they look like: I watched TV for two hours; I studied Chinese for three years. The (de) is optional. Verb-object words split the same way: 。 (Wǒ shuì le bā ge xiǎoshí de jiào.) - I slept for eight hours.
A pronoun is the exception. It stays next to the verb, and the time follows it:
。(Wǒ děng le tā shí fēnzhōng.) - I waited ten minutes for him.
Counts follow the same rules: (dǎ le sān cì diànhuà), phoned three times; (jiàn guo tā liǎng cì), met him twice (see verbal measure words).
Asking how long: 多久 (duōjiǔ)
The question word takes the time's seat, after the verb:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
？ | Nǐ děng le duōjiǔ? | How long did you wait? |
？ | Nǐ xué Zhōngwén xué le duō cháng shíjiān? | How long did you study Chinese? |
。 | Wǒ děng le yíhuìr. | I waited a little while |
(yíhuìr), a little while, and (bàntiān), ages, are vague answers that sit in the same place: 。 (Wǒ děng le bàntiān.) - I waited for ages.
Still going: add a final 了 (le)
One (le) reports the stretch as finished. A second (le) at the very end says it is still going:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
。 | Wǒ děng le shí fēnzhōng. | I waited for ten minutes |
。 | Wǒ děng le shí fēnzhōng le. | I've been waiting for ten minutes |
。 | Tā xué Zhōngwén xué le sān nián le. | He's been learning Chinese for three years |
The double 了 page has the rest, including (tā lái le sān tiān le), where the time counts from when he arrived.
How long it has NOT happened: before 没 (méi)
Say how long something has not happened, and the time moves in front of (méi). A final (le) usually closes the sentence:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
。 | Tā sān tiān méi chīfàn le. | He hasn't eaten for three days |
。 | Wǒ yí ge xīngqī méi jiàn tā le. | I haven't seen him for a week |
。 | Tā liǎng nián méi huíjiā le. | She hasn't been home for two years |
Compare: (tā chī le sān tiān), he ate for three days, time after the verb; (tā sān tiān méi chī), he hasn't eaten for three days, time in front. There is no eating to measure, so the time says across what span nothing happened.
The duration words: which take 个 (ge)?
| Duration | Hanzi | Pinyin | Takes 个 (ge)? |
|---|---|---|---|
| minutes | | shí fēnzhōng | no |
| hours | | liǎng ge xiǎoshí | yes |
| days | | sān tiān | no |
| weeks | | yí ge xīngqī | yes |
| months | | liù ge yuè | yes |
| years | | wǔ nián | no |
Watch (yuè): (sān ge yuè) is three months, but (sānyuè) is March. In writing and on signs you will also see (xiǎoshí) without : (bā xiǎoshí), eight hours.
Mistakes English speakers make
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
。 | 。 | how long goes after the verb |
。 | 。 | careful Mandarin puts the time first |
。 | 。 | a pronoun comes before the time |
。 | 。 | how long it has not happened goes first |
。 | 。 | (sānyuè) is March |
What to do next
- Do the drill below.
- Say how long you slept last night and how long you have been learning Chinese:
…(wǒ shuì le … ge xiǎoshí). - Then read the double 了 (le) sentence for "have been doing for".