Continuation with "hai"

Revision as of 20:47, 13 February 2017 by NFiorentini (talk | contribs) (Placed a "?" after "Still laughing" to match the example sentence. Replaced "making" with "doing.")

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

Basic uses of "还在"

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

  • 还在 看 书。háizài kànshū.He is still reading.
  • 还在 加班。háizài jiābān.I am still working overtime.
  • 十 点 了,你 睡?Shí diǎnle, nǐ hái shuì?It's ten o'clock, are you still sleeping?
  • 还在喝 酒 吗?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?
  • 笑?我 要 生气 了。Hái xiào? Wǒ yào shēngqì le.Still laughing? I am getting mad.
  • 写 作业 呢?Hái xiě zuòyè ne?Still doing homework?
  • 用 你 的 旧 手机 啊?Hái yòng nǐ de jiù shǒujī a?Are you still using your old cell phone?
  • 还在 那里 工作?háizài nàlǐ gōngzuò?Are you still working there?
  • 老板 不 知道 这 件 事。Lǎobǎn hái bù zhīdào zhè jiàn shì.The boss still doesn't know about this thing.
  • 不好意思, 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

  • 还 不去吃饭? implying the listener should go to eathái 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?
  • 还 不 知道 他 是 什么 人?hái bù zhīdào 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?
  • 还 不 说 实话?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