Not until / only then with 才

Structure … + 才 + Verb

才 (cái) marks that something happens LATER or with MORE effort than expected: 他三十岁才结婚 = "he didn’t get married until thirty"; 我等了一个小时他才来 = "I waited an hour before he came". It’s nearly the opposite of 就 ("early / right away"). After 才 you do NOT add 了.

Examples

他tā三sān十shí岁suì才cái结jié婚hūn。
He didn’t get married until thirty.
我wǒ等děng了le一yī个ge小xiǎo时shí他tā才cái来lái。
I waited an hour before he came.
现xiàn在zài你nǐ才cái来lái。
Only now do you show up.

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