有时 yǒu shí
“sometimes; now and then”
adverb2021 list level 1Traditional 有時
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
有时 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 479: 有时 yǒushí — Level 2; official annotation 2 (副). PDF page 91
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 有时
有时 is an adverb meaning "sometimes". It commonly comes after the subject and before the verb, but it can also be placed before the subject; the pattern 有时……有时…… contrasts two alternating situations. It is shorter than 有时候 and somewhat more common in writing, while both are used in speech.
例句Example sentences
- 我有时坐地铁上班，有时骑自行车。wǒ yǒu shí zuò dì tiě shàng bān, yǒu shí qí zì xíng chē.Sometimes I take the subway to work, and sometimes I ride a bike.
- 他有时会忘记带钥匙。tā yǒu shí huì wàng jì dài yào shi.He sometimes forgets to bring his keys.
- 周末我有时在家看书，有时和朋友出去。zhōu mò wǒ yǒu shí zài jiā kàn shū, yǒu shí hé péng you chū qù.On weekends I sometimes read at home and sometimes go out with friends.
易混词Easily confused
有时vs有时候
有时候 means the same and is especially common in everyday speech; 有时 is shorter and tends to be slightly more formal or written. Both are frequency adverbs and can appear before the subject or after it.