Difference between revisions of "Expressing actions in progress with "zai""

Revision as of 03:46, 23 February 2017

Level

A2 / HSK1
Level

A2
Level

HSK1
Similar to
- Aspect particle "zhe" (B1)
- Expressing actions in progress (full form) (B1)
Similar to
- Expressing actions in progress (full form) (HSK0)
- Aspect particle "zhe" (HSK2, HSK3)
Used for

Describing actions, Indicating conditions, Referring to the present
Keywords

在, 正在, 正

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) instead of just 在 (zài) 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？Shéi 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 right now.
昨天晚上七点，我们在吃饭。Zuótiān wǎnshang qīdiǎn, wǒmen zài 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 yīhuìr.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 cell phone.
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 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 (or "right at that moment" when talking about the past).

Sources and further reading

Books

Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 41-2) →buy
Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 60-1) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 209-10) →buy
New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 218-9) →buy

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 *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 right now.</span>
 *昨天 晚上 七点，我们 <em>在</em> 吃饭。<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān wǎnshang qīdiǎn, wǒmen <em>zài</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>
 *我们 <em>正在</em> 上课，请 你 等 一会儿。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>zhèngzài</em> shàngkè, qǐng nǐ děng yīhuìr.</span><span class="trans">We are in class right now; please wait a moment.</span>