只 + 在 with times... Hello everyone, this time i'm trying to understand the 只 use to say "only". Like others times i put a number in front of the sentences, so you can easily correct me. I already got some basic usages like: 1- 我只有一个弟弟 (here 有 is a verb) 2- 只有小王去过美国 (here 只有 goes as a single word) 3- 上班时我只能工作 Now i'd like to express "only when", for example: 4- 我只在周末学中文 (i study chinese only during week-end) 5- 我只在家学中文 (i study chinese only (when i'm) at home) 6- 我只在上班的时候工作 (i work only (when i'm) at work) What puzzles me here is the use of 在 with time words (instead of places), i found this kind of sentences on the web, so not sure about it. Is it correct? And also when do i have to add 时/的时候 after the "situation" verb? Is it needed or not? In 6 i felt like i should put it, not in 4 and 5. Is there a grammar explanation to this? Thanks

很早以前， 很久以前， 很早已经。。。 I just can't understand these uses of 早 and 久. I'm not even sure if they are legit at all... 很早以前 很久以前 很早已经 could you provide me some example? Thanks

过 vs 了 vs 过了 Yesterday I had a chinese class and the teacher explained (tried to...) the use of 过 and 了. I know, it is a classic... I was almost sure to have understood their uses until another native chinese told me not... This is what my teacher said through examples: 1* 我去了中国 verb+了+obj (maybe I'm still there, maybe not) 2* 我去中国了 verb+obj+了 (I'm still there) 3* 我去过中国 verb+过+obj (I went and came back) Are the traslation on the right correct? A native chinese told me that they are the same (I'm not in China anymore) 4* Also teacher told me that 过 should not be used with time words that define the time of happening, since it is for experiences. So i should not say 去年我去过中国 5* 我吃过饭了 emphasize the fact that i have already eaten, a "habitual" experience However teacher did not make examples with "complex" verbs like 去上课 or 去看病? 6* 我去了看病 7* 我去看了病 8* 我去看病了 (I'm still with the doctor) I'm quite sure one between 6 and 7 is wrong... where should i place 了? As always, thank you :)

Chinese way to say "for" I can't fully understand how to express the "for" preposition in chinese language. I'll just write down 2 examples, i'd like you to help me translating them (I'll also try to translate by myself): 1- I'm now studying for tomorrow's exam 现在我为明天的考试在学习 here I used 为, is it correct? could i use 给 too? 为了明天的考试，我正在学习 this is a "bonus" sentence, does it sound better this way with 为了? 2- I cooked for you 我给你做饭了 here i used 给 just because it "sounds" more colloquial. So probably my question is more about 为 vs 给 in "for" meaning. Any other example is appreciated. I'm not native english speaker, i'm sorry for possible errors... Thank you

Asking "how long does it take to go from A to B by C?" 大家好！ I'm studying chinese and today our teacher talked about giving directions. We saw simple sentences but i don't know (i forgot to ask) how to properly mix all the things together. Going to the point, this is the kind of sentences i'm trying to translate to chinese: "How long does it take to go from your home to school by bus?" I would try with something like: "坐公共汽车从你家到学校多久？" Another question is about that "多久", surfing web i saw many putting 要 in front, so "要多久". I also found another way to express, if i got correctly, the same thing: "多长时间", also with 要 in front. So how should i ask this kind of questions? 多久 and 多长时间 are both ok? A "jolly" question: how to ask "It takes longer by bus or bike to go from your home to school?" 谢谢你们。