22.5 Word Order of Time and Location

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In previous lessons, we learned that we can add the time or a location before the verb of a sentence.

SubjectTimeVerbSP
我哋七點等吖。
ngo5 dei6cat1 dim2dang2aa1.
we7:00waitSP
Let’s wait at 7:00
[= Let’s meet at 7:00.]
SubjectLocationVerbSP
我哋喺地鐵站等吖。
ngo5 dei6hai2 dei6 tit3 zaam6dang2aa1.
weat MTR stationwaitSP
Let’s wait at the MTR station.
[= Let’s meet at the MTR station.]

If we want to add both the time and a location in a sentence, we usually put the time before the location.

SubjectTimeLocationVerbSP
我哋七點喺地鐵站等吖。
ngo5 dei6cat1 dim2hai2 dei6 tit3 zaam6dang2aa1。
we7:00at MTR stationwaitSP
Let’s wait at the MTR station at 7:00.
[= Let’s meet at the MTR station at 7:00.]

In Grammar and Vocabulary 22.1, we learned that we can put the time after some verbs (e.g., 食 sik6 ‘to eat’, 睇 tai2 ‘to watch’). We usually don’t do so if we add a location at the same time.

❌ 我哋喺沙田食七點。
ngo5 dei6 hai2 saa1 tin4 sik6 cat1 dim2.
✔️ 我哋七點喺沙田食。
ngo5 dei6 cat1 dim2 hai2 saa1 tin4 sik6.
We eat in Shatin at 7:00.