Difference between revisions of "Indicating location with "zai" before verbs"

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* 我 <em>在</em> <strong>酒吧</strong> 喝 酒 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zài</em> <strong>jiǔbā</strong> hē jiǔ.</span> <span class="trans">I am drinking at the bar.</span>
 
* 我 <em>在</em> <strong>酒吧</strong> 喝 酒 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zài</em> <strong>jiǔbā</strong> hē jiǔ.</span> <span class="trans">I am drinking at the bar.</span>
 
* 他 <em>在</em> <strong>图书馆</strong> 看 书 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zài</em> <strong>túshūguǎn</strong> kàn shū.</span> <span class="trans">He is reading in the library.</span>
 
* 他 <em>在</em> <strong>图书馆</strong> 看 书 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zài</em> <strong>túshūguǎn</strong> kàn shū.</span> <span class="trans">He is reading in the library.</span>
* 我 <em>在</em> <strong>这 个 公司</strong>工作 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zài</em> <strong>zhè gè gōngsī</strong>gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">I work at this company.</span>
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* 我 <em>在</em> <strong>这 个 公司</strong> 工作 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zài</em> <strong>zhè gè gōngsī</strong> gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">I work at this company.</span>
 
* 我 周末 要 <em>在</em> <strong>家</strong> 睡觉 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhōumò yào <em>zài</em> <strong>jiā</strong> shuìjiào.</span> <span class="trans">During the weekend, I want to sleep at home.</span>
 
* 我 周末 要 <em>在</em> <strong>家</strong> 睡觉 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhōumò yào <em>zài</em> <strong>jiā</strong> shuìjiào.</span> <span class="trans">During the weekend, I want to sleep at home.</span>
 
* 不 要 <em>在</em> <strong>床 上</strong> 吃 东西 。 <span class="expl">need a "上" with "在" to indicate the location " on the bed".</span><span class="pinyin">Bù yào <em>zài</em> <strong>chuáng shàng</strong> chī dōngxī.</span> <span class="trans">Don't eat food on the bed.</span>
 
* 不 要 <em>在</em> <strong>床 上</strong> 吃 东西 。 <span class="expl">need a "上" with "在" to indicate the location " on the bed".</span><span class="pinyin">Bù yào <em>zài</em> <strong>chuáng shàng</strong> chī dōngxī.</span> <span class="trans">Don't eat food on the bed.</span>
 
* 我 想 <em>在</em> <strong>家</strong> 开 一 个 派对 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng <em>zài</em> <strong>jiā</strong> kāi yī gè pàiduì.</span> <span class="trans">I want to have a party at my home.</span>
 
* 我 想 <em>在</em> <strong>家</strong> 开 一 个 派对 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng <em>zài</em> <strong>jiā</strong> kāi yī gè pàiduì.</span> <span class="trans">I want to have a party at my home.</span>
 
* 他 喜欢 <em>在</em> <strong>厕所 里</strong> 抽 烟 。 <span class="expl">need a "里" with "在" to indicate the location " in the bathroom".</span><span class="pinyin">Tā xǐhuan <em>zài</em> <strong>cèsuǒ lǐ</strong> chōu yān.</span> <span class="trans">He likes to smoke while he's in the bathroom.</span>
 
* 他 喜欢 <em>在</em> <strong>厕所 里</strong> 抽 烟 。 <span class="expl">need a "里" with "在" to indicate the location " in the bathroom".</span><span class="pinyin">Tā xǐhuan <em>zài</em> <strong>cèsuǒ lǐ</strong> chōu yān.</span> <span class="trans">He likes to smoke while he's in the bathroom.</span>
* 很 多 人 <em>在</em> <strong>地铁 </strong> 吃 包子 。 <span class="expl">need a "里" with "在" to indicate the location " in the subway".</span><span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén <em>zài</em> <strong>dìtiě </strong> chī bāo zi.</span> <span class="trans"> Many people eat baozi while in the subway.</span>
+
* 很 多 人 <em>在</em> <strong>地铁 </strong> 吃 包子 。 <span class="expl">need a "里" with "在" to indicate the location " in the subway".</span><span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén <em>zài</em> <strong>dìtiě shàng</strong> chī bāozi.</span> <span class="trans"> Many people eat baozi while on the subway.</span>
 
* 现在 我们 <em>在</em> <strong>KTV</strong> 唱 歌 。 <span class="pinyin">Xiànzài wǒmen <em>zài</em> <strong>KTV</strong> chàng gē.</span> <span class="trans">Now we're at KTV singing songs.</span>
 
* 现在 我们 <em>在</em> <strong>KTV</strong> 唱 歌 。 <span class="pinyin">Xiànzài wǒmen <em>zài</em> <strong>KTV</strong> chàng gē.</span> <span class="trans">Now we're at KTV singing songs.</span>
  

Revision as of 09:05, 12 August 2015

If you want to describe the place where you are doing, or have done something, you can use 在 (zài).

Structure

To indicate the location that a verb takes place in, 在 (zài) is used.

Subject + 在 + Location + Verb + Object

Notice that the location is placed before the verb in Chinese, whereas, in English, it appears afterwards. Also, you often need a "里 (lǐ)" with "在 (zài)" after a thing to indicate the location.

Examples

  • 上海 工作 。 zài Shànghǎi gōngzuò. I am working in Shanghai.
  • 酒吧 喝 酒 。 zài jiǔbā hē jiǔ. I am drinking at the bar.
  • 图书馆 看 书 。 zài túshūguǎn kàn shū. He is reading in the library.
  • 这 个 公司 工作 。 zài zhè gè gōngsī gōngzuò. I work at this company.
  • 我 周末 要 睡觉 。 Wǒ zhōumò yào zài jiā shuìjiào. During the weekend, I want to sleep at home.
  • 不 要 床 上 吃 东西 。 need a "上" with "在" to indicate the location " on the bed".Bù yào zài chuáng shàng chī dōngxī. Don't eat food on the bed.
  • 我 想 开 一 个 派对 。 Wǒ xiǎng zài jiā kāi yī gè pàiduì. I want to have a party at my home.
  • 他 喜欢 厕所 里 抽 烟 。 need a "里" with "在" to indicate the location " in the bathroom".Tā xǐhuan zài cèsuǒ lǐ chōu yān. He likes to smoke while he's in the bathroom.
  • 很 多 人 地铁 上 吃 包子 。 need a "里" with "在" to indicate the location " in the subway".Hěn duō rén zài dìtiě shàng chī bāozi. Many people eat baozi while on the subway.
  • 现在 我们 KTV 唱 歌 。 Xiànzài wǒmen zài KTV chàng gē. Now we're at KTV singing songs.

Notice that in English we usually put the location at the end of a sentence. This is different in Chinese, as we put the location after the subject, but before the verb.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books