Continuation with "hai"

If you "still" need help on how to use 还 (hái), then this is the page for you.

Basic uses of "还"

Structure

还 (hái) can be used to indicate that something is continuing - that it's still a particular way.

Subj. + 还 + 在 + Verb + Obj.

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

Examples

• 他 还在 看 书。Tā háizài kànshū.He is still reading.
• 我 还在 加班。Wǒ háizài jiābān.I am still working overtime.
• 十 点 了，你 还 睡？Shí diǎnle, nǐ hái shuì?It's ten o'clock, are you still sleeping?
• 你 还在喝 酒 吗？Nǐ háizài hējiǔ ma?Are you still drinking?
• 你们 的 孩子 还在 上学？Nǐmen de háizi háizài shàngxué?Do your children still go to school?
• 还 笑？我 要 生气 了。Hái xiào? Wǒ yào shēngqì le.Still laughing. I am getting mad.
• 还 写 作业 呢？Hái xiě zuòyè ne?Still making homework?
• 还 用 你 的 旧 手机 啊？Hái yòng nǐ de jiù shǒujī a?Are you still using your old cell phone?
• 你 还在 那里 工作？Nǐ háizài nàlǐ gōngzuò?Are you still working there?
• 老板 还 不 知道 这 件 事。Lǎobǎn hái bù zhīdao zhè jiàn shì.The boss still doesn't know about this thing.
• 不好意思，还 没 做 好。Bù hǎoyìsi, hái méi zuò hǎo.I'm sorry, I haven't finished yet.

Special uses of "还" with "不"

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 + Verb + Obj.

Examples

• 你还 不去吃饭？ implying the listener should go to eatNǐ hái bù qù chīfàn?You still haven't eaten?
• 我 对 你 那么 好，你还 不高兴？ implying the listener shouldn't be so glumWǒ duì nǐ nàme hǎo, nǐ hái bù gāoxìng?I'm so good to you, you're still not happy?
• 你们 还 不 下 班？Nǐmen hái bù xiàbān?Are you still not off work?
• 他 怎么 还 不 来？Tā zěnme hái bù lái?Why has he still not come?
• 九点了，为什么 还 不 开始？Jiǔ diǎn le, wèishéme hái bù kāishǐ?It's nine o'clock, why have we still not started?
• 你 还 不 知道 他 是 什么 人？Nǐ hái bù zhīdao tā shì shénme rén?Do you still not know which person he is?
• 这么 大 了，还 不 结婚？Zhème dà le, hái bù jiéhūn?That old and you are still not married?
• 你 还 不 说 实话？Nǐ hái bù shuō shíhuà?Are you still not telling the truth?
• 工作两年了，还 不 会 用 电脑？Gōngzuò liǎng nián le, hái bù huì yòng diànnǎo?You've been working for two years already and you still can't use a computer?
• 还 不 发 工资，我 快 没钱 了。Hái bù fā gōngzī, wǒ kuài méi qián le.Still haven't gotten paid, I won't have any money soon.

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