Question 1

Where can 刚才 go in the sentence? Does its position change the meaning?

Accepted Answer

Time words usually go at the start or right after the subject:
- 刚才我在外面等她 (gāngcái wǒ zài wàimiàn děng tā)
- 我刚才在外面等她 (wǒ gāngcái zài wàimiàn děng tā)
Both are natural and mean the same. Avoid later positions like 我在外面刚才等她, which sounds odd.

Question 2

Do I need 了 to show past tense?

Accepted Answer

No. Chinese doesn’t mark tense; 刚才 already puts it in the recent past. Use 了 to mark a bounded event or add duration: 刚才我在外面等了她半个小时. Avoid 刚才我在外面等她了 (unnatural).

Question 3

Is 在 here the progressive marker (“be doing”)?

Accepted Answer

Here 在 introduces location: 在外面 = “outside.” The progressive marker 在/正在 goes right before the main verb: 我在等她 / 我正在等她. You can combine them: 我刚才正在外面等她 (I was in the middle of waiting outside).

Question 4

What’s the difference between 刚才 and 刚/刚刚?

Accepted Answer

- 刚才 is a time word (“a moment ago”) and can modify the whole clause or be used like a noun: 刚才的事.
- 刚/刚刚 are adverbs modifying the verb: 我刚到 / 我刚刚到 (“I just arrived”).
In many cases 刚才 ≈ 刚刚 in meaning; 刚 often sounds a bit briefer and doesn’t take 的 as easily.

Question 5

How do I negate a sentence with 刚才?

Accepted Answer

Use 没(有) for past actions: 我刚才没在外面等她 (“I wasn’t waiting for her outside just now”).  
Use 不 for non-past/habitual/volitional negatives. With state-like “be present” you’ll hear 她刚才不在; for actions like 等, stick to 没(有).

Question 6

Does 等 mean “wait for” by itself? Do I need a preposition?

Accepted Answer

Yes. 等 + object already means “wait for [object]”: 等她. Don’t add extra prepositions like “为/对”. You can also wait for an event: 等雨停 (“wait for the rain to stop”).

Question 7

Can I say 我等她在外面? Is that the same?

Accepted Answer

No. 我等她在外面 tends to mean “I’m waiting for her to be outside” (等 + clause = “wait until ...”). To say you are outside waiting, put the place before the verb: 我在外面等她.

Question 8

外面 vs 外边 vs 外头 — any difference?

Accepted Answer

All mean “outside.”  
- 外面 (wàimiàn) neutral, very common.  
- 外边 (wàibiān) also common.  
- 外头 (wàitou) more colloquial/regional.  
In Beijing speech you may hear 外面儿 (wàimiānr).

Question 9

What are the tones/pronunciation?

Accepted Answer

- 刚才 gāngcái (1–2)  
- 我 wǒ (3)  
- 在 zài (4)  
- 外面 wàimiàn (4–4)  
- 等 děng (3)  
- 她 tā (1)

Question 10

Are 他 and 她 pronounced the same?

Accepted Answer

Yes—both are tā (first tone). The gender difference exists only in writing; in speech, context tells you which one.

Question 11

How do I emphasize that I was in the middle of waiting?

Accepted Answer

Use progressive markers: 我刚才正在外面等她 or add 呢: 我刚才在外面等她呢. You can also use 着 for a sustained state: 我刚才在外面等着她.

Question 12

How do I add a duration or say “for a while”?

Accepted Answer

Put the duration after the verb, usually with 了:
- 我刚才在外面等了她一会儿  
- 我刚才在外面等了半个小时  
Without a duration, 了 isn’t needed.

Question 13

Can I drop the object “her”?

Accepted Answer

Only if it’s understood from context: 我刚才在外面等呢 (“I was waiting [someone]”), or use a generic object: 等人. A bare 等 often sounds incomplete.

Question 14

What’s the canonical word order here?

Accepted Answer

A common pattern is: Time + Subject + Place + Verb (+ Object).  
So: 刚才 + 我 + 在外面 + 等 + 她.

Question 15

Is there any difference between 刚才我在外面等她 and 我刚才在外面等她?

Accepted Answer

Both are natural and basically the same. Sentence-initial 刚才 slightly foregrounds the time frame; after the subject is a bit more neutral.

Question 16

Can I use 过 with 刚才?

Accepted Answer

No. 过 marks indefinite past experience and normally doesn’t appear with specific time words like 刚才/昨天. Avoid 刚才我等过她.

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