Expressing actions in progress (full form)

You may have learned that 在 (zài) and 正在 (zhèngzài) can be used before verbs to express that an action is ongoing or in progress. They are used to create the Mandarin equivalent of present continuous in English. But that pattern is actually a part of a longer, fuller pattern. It's rarely used in its full form, but bits and pieces of it are frequently used in everyday speech, so it's important to know the full form, even if you don't use it regularly yourself.

Structure

Subj. + 正在 / 正 / 在 + Verb + 呢

If it's a Separable verb, you need to put the 着 between the verb and the object, or you can just leave 着 out.

Subj. (+ 正) + Verb + 着 + Obj. + 呢

or

Subj. + Verb + Obj. + 呢

It's important to remember that virtually every part of the above pattern is optional, so you're going to see all sorts of variations of it (and rarely the full form). The most common variation is just the "在 + V" pattern that you probably already learned long ago. Another common variation is "正 + V" pattern.

Examples

• 我 正在 吃饭 。Wǒ zhèngzài chīfàn.
• 我 正 吃 着 饭 呢 。Wǒ zhèng chī zhe fàn ne.
• 我 吃饭 呢。Wǒ chīfàn ne.I'm eating now.

• 他 正在 上厕所 。Tā zhèngzài shàng cèsuǒ.
• 他 在 上 厕所呢 。Tā zài shàng cèsuǒ ne.
• 他 上 着 厕所 呢 。Tā shàng zhe cèsuǒ ne.He's using the bathroom now.

• 我们 正在 上 汉语 课 呢 。Wǒmen zhèngzài shàng Hànyǔ kè ne.
• 我们 正 上 着 汉语 课 呢 。Wǒmen zhèng shàng zhe Hànyǔ kè ne.
• 我们 在 上 汉语 课 呢 。Wǒmen shàng zhe Hànyǔ kè ne.We're having a Chinese lesson now.

• 爷爷 正在 看 报纸 呢 ，别 打扰 他 。Yéye zhèngzài kàn bàozhǐ ne, bié dǎrǎo tā.
• 爷爷 看 着 报纸 呢 ，别 打扰 他 。Yéye kàn zhe bàozhǐ ne, bié dǎrǎo tā.
• 爷爷 看 报纸 呢 ，别 打扰 他 。Yéye kàn bàozhǐ ne, bié dǎrǎo tā.Grandpa is reading newspapers now. Don't disturb him.

• 老板 正在 开会 呢 ，不 方便 接 电话 。Lǎobǎn zhèngzài kāihuì ne, bù fāngbiàn jiē diànhuà.
• 老板 正 开 着 会 呢 ，不 方便 接 电话 。Lǎobǎn zhèng kāi zhe huì ne, bù fāngbiàn jiē diànhuà.
• 老板 开会 呢 ，不 方便 接 电话 。Lǎobǎn kāihuì ne, bù fāngbiàn jiē diànhuà.The boss is in the middle of a meeting. It's not convenient for him to talk on the phone.

See also

• Aspect particle "zhe"
• Expressing actions in progress

Sources and further reading

Books

• Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册) (pp. 54-7) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) (pp. 321) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar (pp. 217-26) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 216-8) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 106-7) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (pp. 157) [ →buy]

Websites

• ChinesePod: Qing Wen - The 着 (zhe) Chronicles: Actions in Progress (free podcast content)