míngtiān wǒmen tíqián shí fēnzhōng chūfā, jiù bú huì chídào le.

Questions & Answers about míngtiān wǒmen tíqián shí fēnzhōng chūfā, jiù bú huì chídào le.

What does 就 (jiù) do in this sentence? Is it like “then”?

Yes. links a condition to a result, much like “then/so.” The pattern is: [Condition], [Result].

  • 明天我们提前十分钟出发,就不会迟到了。 = If we leave 10 minutes early tomorrow, then we won’t be late.
  • You can optionally add 如果/要是 before the first clause: 如果明天我们提前十分钟出发,就不会迟到了。
  • also adds a feeling of straightforwardness/immediacy: do A, then B naturally follows.
Why is 不 (bù) pronounced in 不会 (bú huì)?

Tone sandhi: 不 (bù) changes to the second tone () when it comes before a fourth-tone syllable.

  • 不会 bú huì, 不对 bú duì, 不要 bú yào
  • Otherwise it stays : 不高 bù gāo, 不忙 bù máng, 不好 bù hǎo
  • As a stand-alone exclamation, it’s : 不!
What does 会 (huì) mean here? “Can” or “will”?

Here means “will”/“be likely to,” expressing prediction or likelihood, not ability.

  • Ability: 我会游泳 (I can/know how to swim).
  • Prediction: 明天会下雨 (It will likely rain tomorrow), 我会迟到 (I will be late).
  • In the sentence, 不会迟到 = will not be late.
What’s the purpose of the sentence-final 了 (le) in 就不会迟到了?

This is sentence-final (change-of-state/“new situation” ). It signals that a situation will change as a result.

  • 就不会迟到了 = then we won’t be late anymore / that solves the lateness problem.
  • Without (就不会迟到) is also fine; it’s just more neutral, with less “new state” feeling.
Why and not for negation?
  • is for habitual, general, or future negation: 明天不会迟到 (won’t be late tomorrow).
  • 没(有) is for past/completed events: 我今天没迟到 (I wasn’t late today).
  • For prohibitions, use : 别迟到 (don’t be late).
Can I drop and say …,不会迟到了?

It’s better to keep to show cause-result. Without , the link feels weaker. Natural alternatives:

  • 明天我们提前十分钟出发,这样就不会迟到了。
  • 明天我们提前十分钟出发,那(么)就不会迟到了。
Can I omit and say 就不迟到了?

Yes. Both are natural:

  • 就不迟到了 (a bit more categorical)
  • 就不会迟到了 (explicitly predictive/likely) Examples: 早点出门就不堵车了 / 就不会堵车了. Both are common.
What exactly does 提前 (tíqián) mean here, and how does it work with another verb?

提前 means “to move earlier than the scheduled/expected time.” In 提前十分钟出发, 提前十分钟 works adverbially to modify 出发.

  • Pattern: 提前 + duration + V: 我们提前二十分钟开始
  • As a verb: 把会议时间提前十分钟; 出发时间提前了十分钟.
  • It implies “earlier than planned/usual,” even if the reference isn’t stated.
Where should 十分钟 go? Is 十分钟提前出发 okay?

Use 提前十分钟出发. Putting the duration after 提前 is the standard pattern.

  • Correct: 我们提前十分钟出发.
  • Also correct: 我们把出发时间提前十分钟; 出发时间提前了十分钟.
  • 十分钟提前出发 is unnatural in this context.
How else could I say the same idea?

Some natural rephrasings:

  • 明天我们把出发时间提前十分钟,这样就不会迟到了。
  • (Less specific) 明天我们早点儿出发,就不会迟到了。
  • With destination: 明天我们提前十分钟去机场,就不会迟到了。
  • With outcome verb: 明天我们提前十分钟出发,就来得及了/就赶得上了。
Why does the sentence start with 明天? Could I say 我们明天提前十分钟出发?

Both are fine.

  • 明天我们… puts the time in topic position for emphasis.
  • 我们明天… is also very common. Chinese often places time expressions before the verb, either before or after the subject: 明天我们… / 我们明天….
What’s the difference among 出发, , and 离开 here?
  • 出发: set off/depart (planned trip or route). Most fitting here.
  • : go/leave (casual). 我们早点走 feels more colloquial.
  • 离开: leave a place, emphasizes separation: 离开学校. Not as natural for scheduling a start time for a trip.
Could I use instead of (…,才不会迟到)?

You can, but the meaning shifts.

  • …,就不会迟到: do A, and the result B follows (plain cause-effect).
  • …,才不会迟到: only if A happens will B not happen; it stresses necessity. It can imply that without leaving early, being on time is unlikely.
Is the comma and the implied “if” okay? Do I need 如果?

Yes, it’s standard to omit 如果 and just use to show the conditional.

  • With it: 如果/要是/只要 明天我们提前十分钟出发,就不会迟到了。
  • Without it (as given) is very natural in speech and writing.
Does 分钟 take a classifier like ? Is 十个分钟 correct?

No classifier is used. Say 十分钟, not 十个分钟 and not 十分钟钟.

  • Duration: 十分钟.
  • Clock time: 十点十分 (ten ten), not 十点十分钟 in clock-reading.
Can I use 不晚/不会晚 instead of 不会迟到?

Sometimes, but nuance differs.

  • 迟到 specifically means “be late (for an appointment/class/meeting).”
  • 晚/晚了 is broader: 我来晚了 (I arrived late). 不会晚 can sound less precise and may mean “it won’t be late (in the day)” or “we won’t arrive late,” depending on context.
  • For formal punctuality, 不(会)迟到 is clearest.
What exactly is 迟到? Can I say 迟到十分钟?

迟到 is a verb meaning “to be late.” You can quantify it:

  • 他迟到十分钟 or 他迟到了十分钟 (he was 10 minutes late).
  • Prediction: 我们会迟到十分钟 (we’ll be 10 minutes late).
  • Your sentence prevents that: 提前十分钟出发,就不会迟到(了).
Do I need to repeat 我们 in the second clause?

No. The subject is understood to be the same.

  • Given: 明天我们提前十分钟出发,就不会迟到了。
  • Repeating is possible but wordier: 明天我们提前十分钟出发,我们就不会迟到了。
How do I make this sound like a suggestion (“Let’s…”)?

Add , or use 这样 to present a plan:

  • 明天我们提前十分钟出发吧,这样就不会迟到了。
  • 要不然 for proposing: 要不我们明天提前十分钟出发?这样就不会迟到了。
How would I ask, “If we leave ten minutes early tomorrow, will we still be late?”

Use the A-not-A form with 会不会:

  • 明天我们提前十分钟出发,会不会迟到?
  • Another way: 明天提前十分钟出发,够不够不迟到? (more colloquial)
Does 提前 need an explicit reference point (earlier than what)?

Not necessarily. If no reference is stated, it’s understood as “earlier than originally planned/usual.”

  • Explicit: 比原计划提前十分钟出发.
  • Implicit (your sentence): the listener infers “earlier than our usual/previous plan.”
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How do tones work in Chinese?
Mandarin Chinese has four main tones plus a neutral tone. The same syllable can mean completely different things depending on the tone — for example, "mā" (mother), "má" (hemp), "mǎ" (horse), and "mà" (scold). Mastering tones is essential for being understood.

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