Position of time and place: before the verb
【一28】状语 (时间、处所)
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
Subject + Time + 在 + Place + Verb (+ Object)
In English, time and place usually go at the end: “I'm eating at the restaurant tomorrow”. In Chinese they go before the verb:
我明天在饭店吃饭。
Basic order: Subject → When → Where → Action. Remember “who, when, where, what”.
The time word can also open the sentence for emphasis: 明天我去北京 = 我明天去北京.
But it never goes at the end: ✗ 我去北京明天.
Examples
我们下午去吧。
Wǒmen xiàwǔ qù ba.Let's go this afternoon.
我明天去北京。
Wǒ míngtiān qù Běijīng.I'm going to Beijing tomorrow.
他晚上在家看电视。
Tā wǎnshang zài jiā kàn diànshì.He watches TV at home in the evening.
她在网上买了两本书。
Tā zài wǎngshàng mǎile liǎng běn shū.She bought two books online.
Common mistakes
✗ 我去北京明天 → ✓ 我明天去北京.
✗ 我吃饭在饭店 → ✓ 我在饭店吃饭.
✗ 我在家晚上看书 → ✓ 我晚上在家看书 (time before place).