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 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?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 + [Verb Phrase]

Examples

• 我 让 他 不要 买 ，他 还是 买 了 。Wǒ ràng tā bùyào mǎi, tā háishì mǎi le.I asked 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 he still ended up divorcing in the end.
• 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 even though his parents 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 even though she is 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 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 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 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 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 glumWǒ duì nǐ zhème hǎo, nǐ hái bù gāoxìng?I treat you so well, but you're still not happy?

Sources and further reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 122) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 157) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 103) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy