Difference between revisions of "Expressing actions in progress with "zai""
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* 谁 <em>在</em> 里面 洗澡？<span class="pinyin">Sheí <em>zài</em> lǐmiàn xǐzǎo? </span><span class="trans">Who is taking a shower in there? </span>
 
* 谁 <em>在</em> 里面 洗澡？<span class="pinyin">Sheí <em>zài</em> lǐmiàn xǐzǎo? </span><span class="trans">Who is taking a shower in there? </span>
 
* 阿姨 <em>正在</em> 打扫 我们 的 房间。<span class="pinyin">Āyí <em>zhèngzài</em> dǎsǎo wǒmen de fángjiān. </span><span class="trans">The cleaning lady is cleaning our room. </span>
 
* 阿姨 <em>正在</em> 打扫 我们 的 房间。<span class="pinyin">Āyí <em>zhèngzài</em> dǎsǎo wǒmen de fángjiān. </span><span class="trans">The cleaning lady is cleaning our room. </span>
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* 昨天 晚上 七点，我们 <em>正在</em> 吃 饭。<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān wǎnshang qīdiǎn, wǒmen <em>zhèngzài</em> chīfàn. </span><span class="trans">We were eating dinner at 7pm yesterday. </span>
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* 昨天 晚上 七点，我们 <em>正在</em> 吃 饭。<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān wǎnshang qīdiǎn, wǒmen <em>zhèngzài</em> chīfàn. </span><span class="trans"> Yesterday at 7pm, we were eating dinner. </span>
 
* 老板 <em>在</em> 开会，没 有 时间 见 你。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>zài</em> kāihuì, méiyǒu shíjiān jiàn nǐ. </span><span class="trans">The boss is currently in a meeting. He doesn't have time to see you. </span>
 
* 老板 <em>在</em> 开会，没 有 时间 见 你。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>zài</em> kāihuì, méiyǒu shíjiān jiàn nǐ. </span><span class="trans">The boss is currently in a meeting. He doesn't have time to see you. </span>
 
* 我 现在 <em>在</em> 上班，不方便 离开。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiànzài <em>zài</em> shàngbān, bù fāngbiàn líkāi. </span><span class="trans">I am working now. It's not convenient for me to leave. </span>
 
* 我 现在 <em>在</em> 上班，不方便 离开。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiànzài <em>zài</em> shàngbān, bù fāngbiàn líkāi. </span><span class="trans">I am working now. It's not convenient for me to leave. </span>

Revision as of 04:08, 2 February 2016

在 (zài) and 正在 (zhèngzài) can be used as auxiliary verbs to express that an action is ongoing or in progress. This is often the equivalent of present continuous in English, which is how we express that an activity is happening now. You can use 正在 (zhèngzài) to put a little more emphasis on an action that is in progress right now.

Structure

Subj. + 在 + Verb + Obj.

or

Subj. + 正在 + Verb + Obj.

Examples

  • 她 在 看 书。Tā zài kànshū. She is reading.
  • 妈妈 在 打 电话。Māma zài dǎ diànhuà. Mom is making a phone call.
  • 谁 在 里面 洗澡？Sheí zài lǐmiàn xǐzǎo? Who is taking a shower in there?
  • 阿姨 正在 打扫 我们 的 房间。Āyí zhèngzài dǎsǎo wǒmen de fángjiān. The cleaning lady is cleaning our room.
  • 昨天 晚上 七点，我们 正在 吃 饭。Zuótiān wǎnshang qīdiǎn, wǒmen zhèngzài chīfàn. Yesterday at 7pm, we were eating dinner.
  • 老板 在 开会，没 有 时间 见 你。Lǎobǎn zài kāihuì, méiyǒu shíjiān jiàn nǐ. The boss is currently in a meeting. He doesn't have time to see you.
  • 我 现在 在 上班，不方便 离开。Wǒ xiànzài zài shàngbān, bù fāngbiàn líkāi. I am working now. It's not convenient for me to leave.
  • 我们 正在 上课，请 你 等 一会儿。Wǒmen zhèngzài shàngkè, qǐng nǐ děng yīhuì'r. We are in class right now; please wait a moment.
  • 你 正在 开车，不 可以 玩 手机。Nǐ zhèngzài kāichē, bù kěyǐ wán shǒujī. You're driving right now. You can't play with your cellphone.
  • 你 给 我 打 电话 的时候，我 正在 跟 朋友 喝酒。Nǐ gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà de shíhou, wǒ zhèngzài gēn péngyou hējiǔ. When you called me, I was drinking wine with friends.

There is no need to worry too much about when to use 在 (zài) or 正在 (zhèngzài), since they basically mean the same thing. 正在 (zhèngzài) usually shows that the action is in progress. "在 (zài) + Verb" is more commonly used than "正在 (zhèngzài) + Verb," but both are okay to use. As mentioned, the only small difference is that 正在 (zhèngzài) emphasizes that the action is happening right now.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books


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