Continuation with "hai"

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

还在 Followed by Verb

Structure

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

Subj. + 还在 + Verb

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 还在 睡?Shí diǎn le, nǐ háizài shuì? It's ten o'clock, are you still sleeping?
  • 还在 生气 吗?háizài shēngqì ma? Are you still mad?
  • 还在 用 那个 旧 手机 啊?háizài yòng nàge jiù shǒujī a?Are you still using that old cell phone?

还是 Followed by Verb

Here 还是 indicates things happened or will happen despite the situation.

Structure

Situation, (+ 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,但 她 还是 天天 喝。Yīshēng bù ràng tā hējiǔ, dàn tā háishì tiāntiān hē.The doctor told her to stop drinking alcohol, but she still drinks it everyday.
  • 老师 虽然 生病 了,但 还是 来 上课 了。Lǎoshī suīrán shēngbìng le, dàn háishì lái shàngkè le.The teacher still made it to the class although she got sick.
  • 他 在 中国 住 了 两 年 多 ,还是 不 太 了解 中国 。 Tā zài Zhōngguó zhù le liǎng nián duō, háishì bù tài liǎojiě Zhōngguó.He lived in China for 10 years while he still doesn't know much about China.

Using 还 with 不 and 没

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 + Obj.

Examples

  • 还 没 到。hái méi dào. He hasn't arrived yet.
  • 还 没 吃饭? implying the listener should go to eathái méi chīfàn?You still haven't eaten?
  • 你们 还 不 走?Nǐmen hái bù ?You have't left yet?
  • 还 没 下班。hái méi xiàbān.I haven't finished work yet.
  • 我 对 你 那么 好,你 还 不 满意? implying the listener shouldn't be so glumWǒ duì nǐ nàme hǎo, nǐ hái bù mǎnyì? I'm so good to you, you're still not satisfied?

Sources and further reading

Books