Continuation with "hai"

Revision as of 17:19, 6 December 2018 by Parry (talk | contribs)

Although 还 (hái) has many meanings, the basic meaning of "still" to indicate a continuing action is essential to mastery of the word.

Affirmative Form

Usage of 还在

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

Structure

Subj. + 还在 + [Verb Phrase]

Examples

  • 这 件 事情 我 还 在 考虑 。Zhè jiàn shìqing wǒ hái zài kǎolǜ.I am still thinking over this matter.
  • 已经 中午 了 ，他 还 在 睡 ？Yǐjīng zhōngwǔ le, tā hái zài shuì? It's already noon and he's still sleeping?
  • 她 还 在 生气 吗 ？Tā hái zài shēngqì ma? Is she still mad?
  • 你 怎么 还 在 用 那个 旧 手机 ？Nǐ zěnme hái zài yòng nàge jiù shǒujī?How come you're still using that old cell phone?
  • 你 还 在 玩 游戏 ？明天 不是 有 考试 吗 ？Nǐ hái zài wán yóuxì? Míngtiān bù shì yǒu kǎoshì ma?You're still playing video games? Don't you have an exam tomorrow?

Usage of 还是

Here 还是 (háishì)--not literally "still is"--indicates what happened or will happen, despite the situation. The 是 (shì) here doesn't have a clear meaning here independent of 还 (hái).

Structure

⋯⋯ ，(但是 / 可是 +) Subj. + 还是 + [Verb Phrase]

Examples

  • 我 让 他 不要 买 ，他 还是 买 了 。Wǒ ràng tā bùyào mǎi, tā háishì mǎi le.I told him not to buy it, but he still bought it.
  • 他 不 想 离婚 ，但是 最后 还是 离婚 了 。 Tā bù xiǎng líhūn, dànshì zuìhòu háishì líhūn le.He didn't want to get divorced, but in the end he still ended up getting divorced.
  • 父母 不 同意 他 去 ，可是 他 还是 去 了。Fùmǔ bù tóngyì tā qù, kěshì tā háishì qù le.His parents didn't agree to it, but he still went.
  • 医生 不 让 她 喝酒 ，她 还是 喝 。Yīshēng bù ràng tā hējiǔ, tā háishì hē.The doctor told her to stop drinking, but she still drinks.
  • 老师 生病 了，但是 她 还是 来 上课 了。Lǎoshī shēngbìng le, dànshì tā háishì lái shàngkè le.The teacher is sick, but she still come to class.

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 Phrase]

Examples

  • 我们 等 了 半 个 小时 了 ，老师 还 没 到 。Wǒmen děng le bàn gè xiǎoshí le. Lǎoshī hái méi dào.We've been waiting for half an hour, but the teacher still hasn't arrived.
  • 电影 已经 开始 了 ，你 还 没 出门 ？Diànyǐng yǐjīng kāishǐ le, nǐ hái méi chūmén?The movie has started already, and you still haven't left the house?
  • 你 已经 四十 多 了 ，还 不 想 结婚 ？implying the listener should get married nowNǐ yǐjīng sìshí duō le, hái bù xiǎng jiéhūn?You'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 ？Wǒ jiěshì le zhème duō biàn, nǐ hái bù dǒng?I've explained it so many times, and you still don't get it?
  • 我 对 你 这么 好 ，你 还 不 高兴 ？implying the listener shouldn't be so upsetWǒ duì nǐ zhème hǎo, nǐ hái bù gāoxìng?I treat you so well, but you're still not happy?

Sources and further reading

Books


Retrieved from "https://resources.allsetlearning.com/gramwiki/?title=Continuation_with_%22hai%22&oldid=43564"