Continuation with "hai"

If you "still" need help on how to use 还 (hái), then this is the page for you.

还在 Followed by Verb

Structure

还 (hái) can be used to indicate that something is continuing - that it's still a particular way.

Subj. + 还在 + Verb

Often the auxiliary verb 在 will appear with 还, as it is natural to talk about continuous actions that are still happening.

Examples

• 他 还在 看书。Tā háizài kànshū.He is still reading.
• 我 还在 加班。Wǒ háizài jiābān.I am still working overtime.
• 十 点 了，你 还在 睡？Shí diǎn le, nǐ háizài shuì? It's ten o'clock, are you still sleeping?
• 你 还在 生气 吗？Nǐ háizài shēngqì ma? Are you still mad?
• 你 还在 用 那个 旧 手机 啊？Nǐ háizài yòng nàge jiù shǒujī a?Are you still using that old cell phone?

还是 Followed by Verb

Structure

Subj. + 还是 + Verb

Examples

• 我 看 了 好 几 遍，还是 记 不 住。Wǒ kàn le hǎo jǐ biàn, háishì jì bu zhù.I read several times, but I still can't remember it.
• 父母 不 同意 他 去，可是 他 还是 去 了。Fùmǔ bù tóngyì tā qù, kěshì tā háishì qù le.He still went there although his patents disagreed.
• 医生 不 让 她 喝酒，但 她 还是 天天 喝。Yīshēng bù ràng tā hējiǔ, dàn tā háishì tiāntiān hē.The doctor told her to stop drinking alcohol, but she still drinks it everyday.
• 老师 虽然 生病 了，但 还是 来 上课 了。Lǎoshī suīrán shēngbìng le, dàn háishì lái shàngkè le.The teacher still made it to the class although she got sick.
• 他 在 美国 住 了 十 年，可是 口语 还是 很 差。 Tā zài Měiguó zhù le shí nián, kěshì kǒuyǔ háishì hěn chà.He lived in the USA for 10 years. But his spoken English is still not good.

Using 还 with 不 and 没

Structure

When you put 不 or 没 after 还 (hái) in a question sentence, it can be used to emphasize the idea of what should be happening in a more idiomatic way.

Subj. + 还 + 不 / 没 + Verb + Obj.

Examples

• 他 还 没 到。Tā hái méi dào. He hasn't arrived yet.
• 你还 没 吃饭？ implying the listener should go to eatNǐ hái méi chīfàn?You still haven't eaten?
• 你们 还 不 走？Nǐmen hái bù ?You have't left yet?
• 我 还 没 下班。Wǒ hái méi xiàbān.I haven't finished work yet.
• 我 对 你 那么 好，你 还 不 满意？ implying the listener shouldn't be so glumWǒ duì nǐ nàme hǎo, nǐ hái bù mǎnyì? I'm so good to you, you're still not satisfied?

Sources and further reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 122) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 157) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 103) →buy