Continuation with "hai"
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If you "still" need help on how to use 还 (hái), then this is the page for you.
Contents
Affirmative Form
Usage of 还在
Structure
还在 (hái zài) can be used to indicate that something is continuing - that it's still a particular way.
Subj. + 还在 + [Verb Phrase]
Often the auxiliary verb 在 will appear with 还 (hái) , as it is natural to talk about continuous actions that are still happening.
Examples
- 这 件 事情 我 还在 考虑 。I am still thinking about this piece of matter.
- 已经 中午 了 ,他 还在 睡 ?It's already noon and he's still sleeping?
- 她 还在 生气 吗 ?Is she still mad?
- 你 怎么 还在 用 那个 旧 手机 ?How come you're still using that old cell phone?
- 你 还在 玩 游戏 ?明天 不是 有 考试 吗 ?Why are you still playing video games? Don't you have an exam tomorrow?
Usage of 还是
Here 还是 (háishì) indicates things happened or will happen despite the situation.
Structure
⋯⋯ ,(但是 / 可是) Subj. + 还是 + Predicate
Examples
- 我 让 他 不要 买 ,他 还是 买 了 。I asked him not to buy it, but he still bought it.
- 他 不 想 离婚 ,但 最后 他 还是 离婚 了 。 He didn't want to divorce, but he still ended up divorced.
- 父母 不 同意 他 去 ,可是 他 还是 去 了。He still went there although his patents disagreed.
- 医生 不 让 她 喝酒 ,她 还是 喝 。The doctor told her to stop drinking alcohol, but she still drinks it.
- 老师 生病 了,但是 她 还是 来 上课 了。The teacher still made it to the class although she got sick.
Negative Form
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
Examples
- 我们 等 了 半 个 小时 了 ,老师 还 没 到 。We've been waiting for half an hour, but the teacher hasn't arrived.
- 电影 已经 开始 了 ,你 还 没 出门 ?The movie has started already, and you haven't left the house?
- 你 已经 四十 多 了 ,还 不 想 结婚 ?implying the listener should get married nowYou're in your forties, and you still don't want to get married?
- 我 解释 了 这么 多 遍 ,你 还 不 懂 ?I've explained so many times, and you still don't understand?
- 我 对 你 这么 好 ,你 还 不 高兴 ?implying the listener shouldn't be so glumI treat you so well, but you're still not happy?
See also
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