B1 Expression Neutral

有时间吗

you shi jian ma

Do you have time?

Practícalo

Significado

Asks if someone is available.

🌍

Contexto cultural

In professional settings, asking '{有时间吗|yǒu shíjiān ma}' is often followed by a specific duration, e.g., '{耽误您五分钟|dānwù nín wǔ fēnzhōng}' (take up 5 minutes of your time). This shows you value their efficiency. People in Taiwan often use '{有空吗|yǒu kòng ma}' or '{方便说话吗|fāngbiàn shuōhuà ma}' (Is it convenient to talk?) which sounds slightly softer and more indirect. Due to the fast-paced nature of HK, people might jump straight to the point after a very quick '{有时间吗|yǒu shíjiān ma}', often via voice messages on WhatsApp. In many overseas communities, this phrase is the standard 'icebreaker' for community organizing or asking for help with translations/logistics.

💡

The WeChat 'Ping'

On WeChat, it's very common to just send '{在吗|zài ma}？' or '{有时间吗|yǒu shíjiān ma}？' and wait for a reply before typing your actual request.

⚠️

Don't forget the 'Ma'

Without '{吗|ma}', you are just saying 'Have time,' which sounds like a command or a broken sentence.

Significado

Asks if someone is available.

💡

The WeChat 'Ping'

On WeChat, it's very common to just send '{在吗|zài ma}？' or '{有时间吗|yǒu shíjiān ma}？' and wait for a reply before typing your actual request.

⚠️

Don't forget the 'Ma'

Without '{吗|ma}', you are just saying 'Have time,' which sounds like a command or a broken sentence.

🎯

Use 'Yǒu kòng' for friends

If you want to sound more like a native speaker with your friends, use '{有空吗|yǒu kòng ma}' instead. It's much more natural in casual settings.

Ponte a prueba

Fill in the blank to ask: 'Do you have time tomorrow?'

{明天你___时间吗|míngtiān nǐ ___ shíjiān ma}？

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: {有|yǒu}

The verb '{有|yǒu}' (to have) is used with '{时间|shíjiān}' (time).

Which of these is the most polite way to ask a teacher for their time?

Select the best option:

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: {老师，您现在方便吗|lǎoshī, nín xiànzài fāngbiàn ma}？

Using '{老师|lǎoshī}' (Teacher), '{您|nín}' (polite you), and '{方便|fāngbiàn}' (convenient) is the most respectful.

Complete the dialogue.

A: {你现在有时间吗|nǐ xiànzài yǒu shíjiān ma}？ B: {对不起，我很忙。______|duìbuqǐ, wǒ hěn máng. ______}。

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: {等我有时间再找你|děng wǒ yǒu shíjiān zài zhǎo nǐ}

'Wait until I have time to find you' is a polite way to postpone a conversation.

Match the phrase to the situation.

Situation: You want to ask a friend to go to the movies this Saturday.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: {你周六有时间吗|nǐ zhōuliù yǒu shíjiān ma}？

You need to specify the day (Saturday) to check availability for the movie.

Match the Chinese to the English.

Connect the pairs:

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: all

These are all variations of checking availability.

🎉 Puntuación: /5

Ayudas visuales

Ways to check availability

😊

Casual

  • • {有空吗|yǒu kòng ma}
  • • {在吗|zài ma}
😐

Neutral

  • • {有时间吗|yǒu shíjiān ma}
  • • {有没有时间|yǒu méiyǒu shíjiān}
👔

Formal

  • • {方便吗|fāngbiàn ma}
  • • {能耽误几分钟吗|néng dānwù jǐ fēnzhōng ma}

Banco de ejercicios

5 ejercicios
Fill in the blank to ask: 'Do you have time tomorrow?' Fill Blank A1

{明天你___时间吗|míngtiān nǐ ___ shíjiān ma}？

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: {有|yǒu}

The verb '{有|yǒu}' (to have) is used with '{时间|shíjiān}' (time).

Which of these is the most polite way to ask a teacher for their time? Choose B1

Select the best option:

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: {老师，您现在方便吗|lǎoshī, nín xiànzài fāngbiàn ma}？

Using '{老师|lǎoshī}' (Teacher), '{您|nín}' (polite you), and '{方便|fāngbiàn}' (convenient) is the most respectful.

Complete the dialogue. dialogue_completion B1

A: {你现在有时间吗|nǐ xiànzài yǒu shíjiān ma}？ B: {对不起，我很忙。______|duìbuqǐ, wǒ hěn máng. ______}。

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: {等我有时间再找你|děng wǒ yǒu shíjiān zài zhǎo nǐ}

'Wait until I have time to find you' is a polite way to postpone a conversation.

Match the phrase to the situation. situation_matching A2

Situation: You want to ask a friend to go to the movies this Saturday.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: {你周六有时间吗|nǐ zhōuliù yǒu shíjiān ma}？

You need to specify the day (Saturday) to check availability for the movie.

Match the Chinese to the English. Match A2

Empareja cada elemento de la izquierda con su par de la derecha:

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: all

These are all variations of checking availability.

🎉 Puntuación: /5

Preguntas frecuentes

5 preguntas

'{有时间|yǒu shíjiān}' is slightly more formal and literal. '{有空|yǒu kòng}' is more casual and common in daily spoken Chinese. Both are interchangeable in most situations.

You say '{我没有时间|wǒ méiyǒu shíjiān}' or more simply '{没时间|méi shíjiān}'.

Yes, but it's better to use the polite '{您|nín}' and perhaps add '{方便吗|fāngbiàn ma}' to be extra respectful.

Absolutely. It's the standard way to check if someone is free before suggesting a plan.

This is the 'A-not-A' question format. It's very common in spoken Chinese and means exactly the same thing as using '{吗|ma}'.

Frases relacionadas

🔄

{有空吗|yǒu kòng ma}

synonym

Are you free?

🔗

{方便吗|fāngbiàn ma}

similar

Is it convenient?

🔗

{没时间|méi shíjiān}

contrast

Don't have time / Busy.

🔗

{抽时间|chōu shíjiān}

builds on

To find/squeeze out time.

🔗

{改天吧|gǎitiān ba}

specialized form

Let's do it another day.

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