Continuation with "hai"

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

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 。Zhèjiàn shìqing wǒ hái zài kǎolǜ.I am still thinking about this piece of 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?
• 你 还在 生气 吗 ？Nǐ hái zài shēngqì ma? Are you still being mad?
• 你 怎么 还在 用 那个 旧 手机 ？Nǐ zěnme hái zài yòng nàge jiù shǒujī a?How come you're still using that old cell phone?
• 他 怎么 还在 玩 游戏 ？明天 不是 有 考试 吗 ？Tā zěnme hái zài wán yóuxì? Míngtiān bù shì yǒu kǎoshì ma?Why are you still playing online games? Isn't there gonna be a 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 + [Verb Phrase]

Examples

• 我 看 了 好 几 遍 ，还是 记 不 住 。Wǒ kàn le hǎo jǐ biàn, háishì jì bu zhù.I read several times, but I still can't remember it.
• 父母 不 同意 他 去 ，可是 他 还是 去 了。Fùmǔ bù tóngyì tā qù, kěshì tā háishì qù le.He still went there although his patents disagreed.
• 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 alcohol, but she still drinks it.
• 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 still made it to the class although she got sick.
• 我 说 得 很 慢 ，可是 他 还是 听不懂 。 Wǒ shuō de hěn màn, kěshì tā háishì tīng bu dǒng.He still doesn't understand what I said despite I spoke very slowly.

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

• 老师 还 没 到 ？Lǎoshī hái méi dào?The teacher hasn't arrived?
• 你 还 没 下班 ？Nǐ hái méi xiàbān?You haven't left work?
• 他 已经 四十 多 了 ，还 没 结婚 ？implying he should be married now.Tā yǐjīng sìshí duō le, hái méi jiéhūn?implying he should be married now.He's in his forties and he hasn't 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 so many times, and you still don't understand?
• 我 对 你 这么 好 ，你 还 不 满意 ？implying the listener shouldn't be so glumWǒ duì nǐ zhème hǎo, nǐ hái bù mǎnyì?I treat you so well, but you're still not satisfied?

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