wǒ yǒushíhou zài chāoshì pángbiān zhǎo tā de tóngshì.

Sometimes I look for her coworker near the supermarket.

Breakdown of wǒ yǒushíhou zài chāoshì pángbiān zhǎo tā de tóngshì.

• 我wǒ: I
• 的de: possessive particle
• 她tā: she
• 在zài: at
• 超市chāoshì: supermarket
• 同事tóngshì: coworker
• 有时候yǒushíhou: sometimes
• 旁边pángbiān: side
• 找zhǎo: to look for

Questions & Answers about wǒ yǒushíhou zài chāoshì pángbiān zhǎo tā de tóngshì.

Where should the time word 有时候 go in the sentence?

The neutral order is Subject + Time + Place + Verb + Object: 我 有时候 在超市旁边 找 她的同事.
You can also front it: 有时候，我在超市旁边找她的同事. Both are natural.

Is 在 required before 超市旁边?

Yes. You need 在 to mark the place of the action: 在超市旁边.
Without 在 (e.g., 我有时候超市旁边找…) is ungrammatical.

Does 找 mean “look for” or “find”?

By itself, 找 = “to look for.”
“Find (successfully)” is usually 找到/找见.

• Look for: 我在超市旁边找她的同事.
• Find: 我在超市旁边找到了她的同事.
• Can’t find: 我在超市旁边找不到她的同事.

Is 在 here a location marker or the progressive aspect marker?

Location marker. It introduces the place: 在超市旁边.
To mark “be doing,” use 在/正在 before the verb: 我正在超市旁边找她的同事 (“I’m looking … now”).

Should I add 去 to show movement to that place?

Add 去 if you want to emphasize going there: 我有时候去超市旁边找她的同事.
Without 去, you’re just stating where the action takes place.

Do I need a measure word before 同事?

Not if the number is unspecified: 她的同事 (could be one or more).
Specify with classifiers: 一个/一位/一名同事; plural: 一些同事; a few: 几个同事.
Polite classifier: 一位同事.

Can I drop 的 and say 她同事?

In casual speech you may hear 她同事, but 她的同事 is the standard and safest form.
Dropping 的 is common with close relations (e.g., 他妈妈), less so with 同事.

Does 她的 specifically mean “her (female)”?

In writing, yes: 她 = “she/her,” 他 = “he/him.”
In speech they sound the same (tā), so only context disambiguates.

Should it be 超市旁边 or 超市的旁边?

Both are acceptable. 超市旁边 is more common and concise.
超市的旁边 can sound a bit heavier or more specific (“the side of the supermarket”).

What’s the difference between 旁边, 附近, and 边上?

• 旁边: right next to/by the side (closer, more immediate).
• 附近: nearby/in the vicinity (broader area).
• 边上: colloquial/regional alternative to “by the side.”
  So 在超市旁边 is tighter than 在超市附近.

Why is there no 了 or 过?

Because this describes a habitual tendency (“sometimes”).

• Habitual: 我有时候在… (no 了/过).
• Specific completed instance: 我昨天在超市旁边找了她的同事.
• Past experience (at least once): 我在超市旁边找过她的同事 (no “sometimes” nuance).

Is it okay to say 我在超市旁边有时候找她的同事?

Grammatically possible, but less natural. Standard order puts time before place: 我有时候在超市旁边….
Your version puts extra emphasis on the place first.

How do I say “I sometimes find (manage to find) her colleague there”?

Use a result complement: 我有时候在超市旁边找得到/找到她的同事.

• 找得到 = can find (capability/possibility).
• 找到 = found (actually succeeded).

How do I say “I sometimes can’t find her colleague there”?

我有时候在超市旁边找不到她的同事.

Is the colleague necessarily located by the supermarket?

The sentence primarily says the searching happens there.
To mean “the colleague who is (there),” modify the noun: 那位在超市旁边的同事 or 在超市旁边工作的同事.

Can I front the place for emphasis?

Yes: 在超市旁边，我有时候找她的同事. This topicalizes the place and is stylistically fine.

Any tone-sandhi I should notice in 我有时候?

Yes. 我 (3rd) before 有 (3rd) becomes rising: pronounce it like 2nd tone + 3rd tone: wó yǒu.
Full phrase: wó yǒu shíhou.