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

Question

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

Answer

In my opinion, in 4 “我只在周末学中文”or“我只有在周末的时候才学中文”.In 5“我只在家学中文”or“我只有在家的时候才学中文”In 6“我只在上班的时候工作”or“我只有在上班的时候才工作”.These sentences are all right but the preceding sentences are simpler. And you can find the same part in these sentences, it's “只有（在...的时候）才”.I think this grammar can be used when you want to say “you only do sth when you do the other thing（6）or when you at someplace（5）or when sometime（4）. Especially when you want to express the first case such as“在走路的时候”、“在吃饭的时候”、“在听歌的时候”、"在读书的时候” 、“在上班的时候”...【在“v+o”的时候】,it‘s more common than the second one and the third one.
In short, when you're not sure you can use “只有（在...的时候）才”, it‘s always right.
Hope that helps.

Ada

Answer

The Chinese character 只，can be understood as "only". But as adverb the position in sentense is different from English. You know every language has the unique way to express. There are a lot of grammar of a language. But just for easier to understand.  的时候: when you when to emphasis something happened when other thing is happening. I was watching TV when I had supper yesterday evening. 昨晚我吃晚饭的时候我在看电视。 (Subject verb object)'的时候 + subject in do(ing) something.  So it is weird to see the structure in the view of English grammar.

Answer

you can not put 的时候 in 5  but you can do it in 4 because of the word after 在.
在 n. 的时候 . the noun should be related to time. both 周末 and 工作 mean time while 家 is not

Answer

4，5also can put it