The rule, as people use it

"I hate it when ..." complains about a situation that keeps happening. It's how people bond over small annoyances: slow Wi-Fi, loud neighbors, a coffee that goes cold. The pattern is "I hate it when" plus a full sentence in the simple present, because the situation is a repeated one: "I hate it when the bus is late."

Notice the little word "it". It stands for the situation that the "when" part describes. Without it, "I hate when the bus is late" is heard a lot in casual American speech, but "I hate it when" is the standard form and never sounds wrong.

You'll hear a few variations with the same shape: "I love it when" for things you enjoy, "I don't like it when" for a milder complaint, and "Don't you hate it when ...?" to invite the other person to agree. That last one is a great conversation starter with a stranger in a slow line.

Examples

Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.

Fill the gap

Type the missing words, then check. The full sentence plays when you get it.

  1. 1

    I hate it when my alarm (not / go off).

  2. 2

    She hates (it) when people are late.

  3. 3

    (you / not / hate) it when the milk runs out?

  4. 4

    I love it when my kids (make) me breakfast.

  5. 5

    He hates it when people (interrupt) him.

  6. 6

    I hate it (when) the store is out of bread.

  7. 7

    They don't like it when we (play) music late.

  8. 8

    Li Na hates it when her train (be) crowded.

Practice · 3 min

Write six sentences: three about things you hate, two about things you love, one question to start a conversation. Say them out loud with feeling.

  • I hate it when ___ .
  • I hate it when people ___ .
  • My ___ hates it when I ___ .
  • I love it when ___ .
  • I love it when my ___ .
  • Don't you hate it when ___ ?

Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.