Difference between revisions of "Indicating location with "zai" before verbs"
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| − | If you | + | If you need to include the place where an action takes place, you can use 在 (zài). Just pay close attention to [[Basic sentence order|word order]], as this is one case in which Chinese word order is quite different from English. |
| − | + | == Structure == | |
| − | To indicate the location that a verb takes place in, 在 (zài) | + | To indicate the location that a verb takes place in, 在 (zài), followed by a location, comes before the verb. |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | Subj. + 在 + | + | Subj. + 在 + Place + Verb + Obj. |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | Notice that the location is placed ''before'' the verb in Chinese, whereas | + | Notice that the location is placed ''before'' the verb in Chinese, whereas in English it appears ''afterwards''. |
| − | + | == Examples == | |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * 我 <em>在</em> <strong>上海</strong> 上大学。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zài</em> <strong>Shànghǎi</strong> | + | * 我 <em>在</em> <strong>上海</strong> 上大学。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zài</em> <strong>Shànghǎi</strong> shàng dàxué.</span><span class="trans">I went to college in Shanghai.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 你 一直 <em>在</em> <strong>这 家 公司</strong> 工作 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yīzhí <em>zài</em> <strong> zhè jiā gōngsī </strong> gōngzuò ma? </span><span class="trans">Have you always been working in this company? </span> |
| − | * 不 要 <em>在</em> <strong>床 上</strong> 吃 东西。 <span class="expl">need a "上 | + | * 我 周末 想 <em>在</em> <strong>家</strong> 睡觉。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhōumò xiǎng <em>zài</em> <strong>jiā</strong> shuìjiào.</span><span class="trans">On the weekend, I want to sleep at home.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 不 要 <em>在</em> <strong>床 上</strong> 吃 东西。<span class="expl pdf-long-expl">In addition to "在" you need a "上" to indicate the location "on the bed." </span><span class="pinyin">Bùyào <em>zài</em> <strong>chuáng shàng</strong> chī dōngxi.</span><span class="trans">Don't eat food on the bed.</span> |
| − | * 他 喜欢 <em>在</em> <strong>厕所 里</strong> 抽烟。 <span class="expl">need a "里 | + | * 你 想 <em>在</em> <strong>哪儿</strong> 开 生日 派对？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiǎng <em>zài</em> <strong>nǎr</strong> kāi shēngrì pàiduì? </span><span class="trans">Where do you want to have the birthday party? </span> |
| − | * 很 多 人 <em>在</em> <strong>地铁 上</strong> 吃 早饭。 <span class="expl">need a " | + | * 他 喜欢 <em>在</em> <strong>厕所 里</strong> 抽烟。<span class="expl pdf-long-expl">In addition to "在" you need a "里" to indicate the location "in the bathroom." </span><span class="pinyin">Tā xǐhuan <em>zài</em> <strong>cèsuǒ lǐ</strong> chōuyān.</span><span class="trans">He likes to smoke in the bathroom.</span> |
| − | * 现在 我们 <em>在</em> <strong>KTV</strong> 唱歌。 <span class="pinyin">Xiànzài wǒmen <em>zài</em> <strong>KTV</strong> | + | * 很 多 人 <em>在</em> <strong>地铁 上</strong> 吃 早饭。<span class="expl pdf-long-expl">In addition to "在" you need a "上" to indicate the location "in the subway." </span><span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén <em>zài</em> <strong>dìtiě shàng</strong> chī zǎofàn.</span><span class="trans"> Many people eat breakfast on the subway.</span> |
| − | * 老板 <em>在</em> <strong> | + | * 现在 我们 <em>在</em> <strong>KTV</strong> 唱歌。<span class="pinyin">Xiànzài wǒmen <em>zài</em> <strong>KTV</strong> chànggē.</span><span class="trans">Now we're singing songs at karaoke.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 老板 <em>在</em> <strong>会议室</strong> 见 客户。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>zài</em> <strong>huìyìshì</strong> jiàn kèhù.</span><span class="trans">The boss is seeing the client in the meeting room.</span> |
| − | + | * 你 <em>在</em> <strong>外面</strong> 吃 过 晚饭 了 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zài</em> <strong>wàimiàn</strong> chī guo wǎnfàn le ma? </span><span class="trans">Did you eat dinner outside? </span> | |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | + | Remember: in English we usually put the location at the end of a sentence. In Chinese, we put the location after the subject but ''before'' the verb. | |
| − | ==See | + | == Getting More Specific with Locations == |
| − | * [[Expressing existence in a place]] | + | |
| − | * [[" | + | Rather than just using 在 (zài) to mean "at" a location, you might want to use it to mean "in," "on," or "under" a specific location. To do this, you'll need to add an extra word after the location. Learn about [[expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li"]]. |
| − | * [[Complements with "dao" | + | |
| + | == See Also == | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [[Expressing existence in a place with "zai"]] | ||
| + | * [[Expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li"]] | ||
| + | * [[Special cases of "zai" following verbs]] | ||
| + | * [[Complements with "dao," "gei," and "zai"]] | ||
== Sources and further reading == | == Sources and further reading == | ||
| Line 43: | Line 49: | ||
=== Books === | === Books === | ||
| − | + | {{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|66}} | |
| + | {{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|128}} | ||
[[Category:A2 grammar points]] | [[Category:A2 grammar points]] | ||
| − | {{Used for| Expressing location}} | + | {{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}} |
| − | {{Basic Grammar|在|A2|Subj. + 在 + Place + | + | {{Used for|Expressing location}} |
| − | {{Similar|Expressing existence in a place}} | + | {{Basic Grammar|在|A2|Subj. + 在 + Place + Verb|我 <em>在</em> 上海 工作。|grammar point|ASGX0Z0N}} |
| − | {{Similar|" | + | {{Similar|Expressing existence in a place with "zai"}} |
| − | {{Similar|Complements with "dao" | + | {{Similar|Expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li"}} |
| + | {{Similar|Special cases of "zai" following verbs}} | ||
| + | {{Similar|Complements with "dao," "gei" and "zai"}} | ||
{{Similar|Basic sentence order}} | {{Similar|Basic sentence order}} | ||
{{POS|Verbs}} | {{POS|Verbs}} | ||
Latest revision as of 09:22, 20 April 2021
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If you need to include the place where an action takes place, you can use 在 (zài). Just pay close attention to word order, as this is one case in which Chinese word order is quite different from English.
Contents
Structure
To indicate the location that a verb takes place in, 在 (zài), followed by a location, comes before the verb.
Subj. + 在 + Place + Verb + Obj.
Notice that the location is placed before the verb in Chinese, whereas in English it appears afterwards.
Examples
- 我 在 上海 上大学。I went to college in Shanghai.
- 你 一直 在 这 家 公司 工作 吗？Have you always been working in this company?
- 我 周末 想 在 家 睡觉。On the weekend, I want to sleep at home.
- 不 要 在 床 上 吃 东西。In addition to "在" you need a "上" to indicate the location "on the bed." Don't eat food on the bed.
- 你 想 在 哪儿 开 生日 派对？Where do you want to have the birthday party?
- 他 喜欢 在 厕所 里 抽烟。In addition to "在" you need a "里" to indicate the location "in the bathroom." He likes to smoke in the bathroom.
- 很 多 人 在 地铁 上 吃 早饭。In addition to "在" you need a "上" to indicate the location "in the subway." Many people eat breakfast on the subway.
- 现在 我们 在 KTV 唱歌。Now we're singing songs at karaoke.
- 老板 在 会议室 见 客户。The boss is seeing the client in the meeting room.
- 你 在 外面 吃 过 晚饭 了 吗？Did you eat dinner outside?
Remember: in English we usually put the location at the end of a sentence. In Chinese, we put the location after the subject but before the verb.
Getting More Specific with Locations
Rather than just using 在 (zài) to mean "at" a location, you might want to use it to mean "in," "on," or "under" a specific location. To do this, you'll need to add an extra word after the location. Learn about expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li".
See Also
- Expressing existence in a place with "zai"
- Expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li"
- Special cases of "zai" following verbs
- Complements with "dao," "gei," and "zai"
