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wǒ yǒushíhou zài gōngsī pángbiān děng tā, ránhòu yìqǐ qù chāoshì.

我wǒ　有时候yǒushíhou　在zài　公司gōngsī　旁边pángbiān　等děng　她tā，　然后ránhòu　一起yìqǐ　去qù　超市chāoshì。wǒ yǒushíhou zài gōngsī pángbiān děng tā, ránhòu yìqǐ qù chāoshì.
Sometimes I wait for her near the company, then we go to the supermarket together.
FromLesson 5inHardcore Chinese
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Questions & Answers about wǒ yǒushíhou zài gōngsī pángbiān děng tā, ránhòu yìqǐ qù chāoshì.

Where should the time word 有时候 go in the sentence?
In Chinese, the typical order is Subject + Time + Place + Verb + Object. So 我 有时候 在公司旁边 等她 is ideal. You can also say 有时候我在公司旁边等她. Avoid placing 有时候 after the place: 我在公司旁边有时候等她 sounds unnatural.
Do I need 在 before 公司旁边?
Yes. 在 + place marks location: 在公司旁边. Without 在, 公司旁边 is a location noun phrase but not linked to the verb. So say 我在公司旁边等她, not 我公司旁边等她.
Should it be 在公司的旁边 instead of 在公司旁边?
Both exist, but 在公司旁边 is more natural and common. 的 is usually omitted before common, short place words like 旁边/里面/外面. Use 的 if the noun phrase is long or needs emphasis.
What’s the difference between 旁边 and 附近?
  • 旁边 = right next to/adjacent to (very close).
  • 附近 = nearby/in the area (broader).
    So 公司旁边 is closer than 公司附近.
Does 等 need a preposition like “for” (e.g., “wait for her”)?
No. 等 takes a direct object: 等她 = “wait for her.” Don’t add 为/给.
How can I soften 等她 to sound more polite/natural?

Add a brief duration or 一下/一会儿:

  • 等她一下
  • 等她一会儿
  • 等她十分钟
    These sound gentler or more specific.
Why is there no 了 or 过 here?
The sentence describes a habitual action (signaled by 有时候), so no aspect marker is needed. You could add 会 to express a tendency or typical behavior: 我有时候会在公司旁边等她.
Is 在 here the progressive marker (like “be -ing”)?
In 我在公司旁边等她, 在 marks location. For progressive, you can say 我在等她 or 我正在公司旁边等她 (here 在/正在 marks the ongoing action).
Can 然后 start the second clause like this?
Yes. 然后 means “then/after that” and is commonly used after a pause/comma: …，然后一起去超市。 You could also say 然后我们一起去超市 to restate the subject.
Why is the subject omitted before 一起去?
Chinese often drops subjects when clear from context. Because 她 was mentioned and 一起 implies “together,” the understood subject is “we.” Explicit versions: 然后我们一起去超市 or 然后跟她一起去超市.
Where does 一起 go?
Use 一起 + Verb after the subject: 我们一起去超市. Avoid 去一起超市 or 一起超市去.
Why not say 去在超市?
去 already means “go to,” so it takes a place directly: 去超市. 在 marks location for where an action happens, not the destination after 去.
What’s the difference between 去超市 and 到超市?

Both can mean “go to the supermarket.”

  • 去超市 focuses on going.
  • 到超市 emphasizes reaching the destination. You can also say 到超市去, which is common in speech.
Pronunciation: any tone sandhi to watch?
  • 一起 is pronounced yìqǐ (一 changes to 4th tone before a 1st/2nd/3rd-tone syllable; 起 is 3rd).
  • 时候 is shíhou (neutral tone on hou).
  • 她 is tā (same sound as 他 in speech).
  • Other tones: 在 zài (4), 等 děng (3), 然后 ránhòu (2-4), 超市 chāoshì (1-4).
Could I say 等她在公司旁边?
Unnatural. Place phrases normally come before the verb: 在公司旁边等她. If you must put the place after, you need a different structure, e.g., 我等她，在公司旁边 (as an afterthought).
Is 有时候 interchangeable with 有的时候 or 有时?
  • 有时候 and 有的时候: both common and neutral; 有的时候 feels a bit more casual/colloquial.
  • 有时: shorter and a bit more formal/literary.
Whose company is 公司?
By itself it’s generic. To specify, add a possessor: 在她公司旁边, 在我公司旁边, or 在我们公司旁边.
Do I need a measure word for 超市 or 公司?
Not when used as bare places after 去/在. If you mean “a/one [store/company]” as a countable entity, use 一家: 去一家超市, 在一家公司工作.
Is there anything odd about the spaces in the Chinese sentence?
Chinese normally doesn’t use spaces between words. The natural written form is: 我有时候在公司旁边等她，然后一起去超市。

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