Duration Phrases in Chinese
分钟/年/天/周
Time-unit nouns such as 分钟, 天, 周, and 年 form duration phrases with a number. After an action verb, the duration states how long the activity lasts. A duration can also frame the time since an event, but that uses a different clause pattern and should not be confused with clock time.
Published July 23, 2026
Reviewed July 23, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
Verb + Duration; Subject + Duration + 没 + Verb
Read the structure
Time-unit nouns such as 分钟, 天, 周, and 年 form duration phrases with a number. After an action verb, the duration states how long the activity lasts. A duration can also frame the time since an event, but that uses a different clause pattern and should not be confused with clock time. Keep the model Verb + Duration; Subject + Duration + 没 + Verb visible while you compare each sentence.
我学了两年中文。
I studied Chinese for two years.
Choose the right context
Place a duration after an activity to state how long it lasts. Use number plus 天, 周, or 年 without an extra classifier for standard duration units. Repeat a pronoun object before duration when needed: 我等了他两小时.
他们走了三十分钟。
They walked for thirty minutes.
Respect the boundary
Do not place a basic duration between the verb and its simple object. Do not add 个 after every standard time unit such as 天 or 年. Do not use a duration phrase alone to state the clock time when an event occurs.
我在住了一周北京。
(I stayed in Beijing for one week.)
Repair the pattern
Duration splits verb and place object: The location phrase 在北京 precedes the activity, while the duration 一周 follows 住; it cannot split 在 from its place. Unneeded classifier added to 年: 年 is a standard duration unit and directly follows its number; 个 is not used in this quantity.
我在北京住了一周。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
我学了两年中文。
I studied Chinese for two years.
我
Verb
This part occupies the Verb position in the model pattern.
学
Duration; Subject
This part occupies the Duration; Subject position in the model pattern.
了
Duration
This part occupies the Duration position in the model pattern.
两
没
This part occupies the 没 position in the model pattern.
年
Verb
This part occupies the Verb position in the model pattern.
中文
Verb
This part occupies the Verb position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
我学了两年中文。
I studied Chinese for two years.
他们走了三十分钟。
They walked for thirty minutes.
我在北京住了一周。
I stayed in Beijing for one week.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Place a duration after an activity to state how long it lasts.
- Use number plus 天, 周, or 年 without an extra classifier for standard duration units.
- Repeat a pronoun object before duration when needed: 我等了他两小时.
Do not use it when
- Do not place a basic duration between the verb and its simple object.
- Do not add 个 after every standard time unit such as 天 or 年.
- Do not use a duration phrase alone to state the clock time when an event occurs.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
我在住了一周北京。
我在北京住了一周。
Duration splits verb and place object
The location phrase 在北京 precedes the activity, while the duration 一周 follows 住; it cannot split 在 from its place.
我学了两个年中文。
我学了两年中文。
Unneeded classifier added to 年
年 is a standard duration unit and directly follows its number; 个 is not used in this quantity.
我在住了一周北京。
The location phrase 在北京 precedes the activity, while the duration 一周 follows 住; it cannot split 在 from its place.
我学了两个年中文。
年 is a standard duration unit and directly follows its number; 个 is not used in this quantity.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 分钟/年/天/周.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 分钟/年/天/周. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
Duration Phrases Questions
Does 星期 need 个?
一个星期 is common, while 一周 expresses one week without 个.
Where does 了 go with duration?
Perfective 了 normally follows the verb, before the postverbal duration.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: GF0025-2021 Appendix A, Level 2 item 【二12】 (PDF p. 186)
Provides official Level 2 directory placement and examples only; it does not establish the learner-facing usage explanation.
Official sourceModern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide, 3rd ed.
Ross, Ma, Chen, He and Yeh · Routledge · 2024
Locator: Chapter 39, §39.1, duration expressions
Shows number-plus-time-unit duration expressions with activity predicates and distinguishes duration from the time when an event occurs.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Compare
数量短语Basic Quantity Phrases
Compare 分钟年天周 indicating the duration and ordinary 数量短语 indicating the number of entities to determine whether the quantity component answer is how long or how many.
Compare
顿/口/眼Event and Portion Classifiers 顿, 口, and 眼
Distinguish between time unit measuring action duration and 顿口眼 measuring action times or segments to avoid mixing duration and momentum.
Continue learning
时间Time Word Placement
Compare a duration using 分钟、年、天、周 with a time phrase locating when an event occurs.
Compare
遍/次/场/回/下Counting Events with Verbal Measure Words
Compare the duration measurement of 分钟年天周 with the 次 number measurement of 遍次场回下, and select the quantity unit based on the focus of the question.
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Compare a duration using 分钟、年、天、周 with a time phrase locating when an event occurs.