什么时候？
shénme shíhou?
When · trad. 什麼時候？
什么时候？ (Shénme shíhou) asks "when?" or "what time?" It is used to inquire about the specific date or time an event will happen.
What does 什么时候？ (shénme shíhou?) mean?
什么时候？ (shénme shíhou?) means “when” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “what time.”
When to use it
Neutral and common. To ask about a specific date, you could say 哪一天？ (nǎ yì tiān, "which day?"). To ask about a specific hour, 几点？ (jǐ diǎn, "what time/hour?") is used.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “SHEN-muh SHUR-ho.” The first syllable of 时候 (shíhou) is a rising tone, and the second is neutral.
Other ways to say it
- 几点？jǐ diǎn?what time (hour)?
- 哪一天？nǎ yī tiān?which day?
- 什么时候开始？shénme shíhou kāishǐ?when does it start?
Examples
A: 我们明天见面吧。 B: 什么时候？
A: wǒmen míngtiān jiànmiàn ba. B: shénme shíhou?
A: Let's meet tomorrow. B: When?
你什么时候有空？
nǐ shénme shíhou yǒu kòng?
When are you free?
火车什么时候到？
huǒchē shénme shíhou dào?
When does the train arrive?
Pro tip: 什么时候 can ask about a specific time (e.g., 3 PM) or a specific date (e.g., next Tuesday), not just a general period.
Related phrases
那是什么？ · What is that为什么？ · Why在哪里？ · Where
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