Time Expression: 刚 (gāng) - Just Now

刚 is an adverb. In the world of Chinese grammar, adverbs are like loyal dogs. They always stay close to the verb. You place 刚 right before the action. It does not matter if the action happened ten seconds ago or two days ago. If you feel it was "recent," you can use 刚. Unlike English, you do not need to change the verb form. No "-ed" or "have been." Just drop 刚 in and you are done. It is like a time-stamp for your sentences. It focuses on the timing rather than the result of the action.

1. 1Using 刚 is as easy as 1-2-3. Follow this simple structure:
2. 2Start with your Subject (the person or thing doing the action).
3. 3Add the word 刚.
4. 4Follow up with your Verb or action phrase.
5. 5Structure: [Subject] + 刚 + [Verb] + [Object]
6. 6Example: 我 (Subject) + 刚 + 到 (Verb) + 家 (Object).
7. 7Translation: "I just arrived home."
8. 8If you want to emphasize that it happened *very* recently, you can double it up to 刚刚. It works exactly the same way but feels a bit more "fresh."

Use 刚 when the ink is still wet on an action. Imagine you are at a job interview. The interviewer asks if you have seen the office. You say, 我刚进来 (I just came in). It shows you are present and reacting to the now. Use it when ordering food if the waiter asks if you are ready. 我刚坐下 (I just sat down) tells them you need a minute. It is perfect for social situations where timing matters. If you meet a friend on the street, you might say 我刚想给你打电话 (I was just thinking of calling you). It makes your Chinese sound natural and reactive. It is also great for life milestones. 我刚毕业 (I just graduated) sounds much more exciting than just saying you are a student.

Do not use 刚 at the very beginning of a sentence. It is not a noun; it is an adverb. You cannot say 刚我吃饭. That sounds like you are trying to speak backwards. Also, try to avoid using 了 (le) at the end of a 刚 sentence. Since 刚 already implies the action is finished and recent, adding 了 can sometimes feel redundant or even wrong to native ears. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. If 刚 is green, 了 is usually a flashing yellow—proceed with caution or just stop. Finally, do not use 刚 for things that happened a long time ago unless you are speaking subjectively. You would not say 我刚出生 (I was just born) if you are twenty years old, unless you are making a very weird joke.

Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes, but usually, it is learners who trip. The biggest mistake is the "Time Noun Trap." People try to use 刚 like 昨天 (yesterday). They say 刚我去了商店. Wrong! Always put the subject first: 我刚去商店. Another classic is the "Double Past Tense." Learners love adding 了 to everything. 我刚买了书了 sounds cluttered. Keep it clean: 我刚买书. Lastly, do not confuse 刚 with 刚才 (gāngcái). While they both mean "just now," they follow different rules. 刚 is an adverb (needs a verb), while 刚才 is a time noun (can stand alone). Think of 刚 as the "how" and 刚才 as the "when."

Let's talk about 刚 vs. 刚才. This is the heavyweight championship of A2 grammar.

• 刚 (Adverb): Must go after the subject. It can refer to any time the speaker *thinks* is recent (minutes, days, months).
• 刚才 (Time Noun): Can go before or after the subject. It *only* refers to the very recent past (usually the last few minutes).

If you say 我刚来中国, it could mean you arrived last week. If you say 我刚才来中国, you are probably standing in the airport right now with your luggage. Also, 刚 can be followed by a duration like 刚来两天 (just arrived two days ago). 刚才 cannot do this. It is like the difference between saying "I just did it" and "A moment ago."