Expressing actions in progress with "zai"

Revision as of 07:49, 4 September 2012 by Oversjw0 (talk | contribs)

在 (zài) and 正在 (zhèngzài) can be used as an auxiliary verb to express that an action is ongoing or in progress. This is often the equivalent of present continuous in English. 正在 emphasizes ongoing or in progress of an action a bit more than 在。

Structure

Subject + 在 + Verb + Object

or

Subject + 正在 + Verb + Object

Examples

  • 看 书。
  • 喝 啤酒。
  • 我们 正在 上课,请 稍等。
  • 你们 正在 吃饭,我 过 会儿 再 说。

See also

Sources and further reading

Books