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

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
If you need to include the place where an action takes place, you can use 在 (zài). Just pay close attention to [[basic word order|word order]], as this is one case in which Chinese word order is quite different from English.
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If you need to include the place where an action takes place, you can use 在 (zài). Just pay close attention to [[Basic sentence order|word order]], as this is one case in which Chinese word order is quite different from English.
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
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</div>
 
</div>
  
Notice that the location is placed ''before'' the verb in Chinese, whereas, in English, it appears afterwards.
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Notice that the location is placed ''before'' the verb in Chinese, whereas in English it appears ''afterwards''.
  
 
== Examples ==
 
== Examples ==
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 <em>在</em> <strong>上海</strong> 上大学。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zài</em> <strong>Shànghǎi</strong> shàng dàxué. </span> <span class="trans">I went to college in Shanghai. </span>
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* 我 <em>在</em> <strong>上海</strong> 上大学。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zài</em> <strong>Shànghǎi</strong> shàng dàxué.</span><span class="trans">I went to college in Shanghai.</span>
* 你 一直 <em>在</em> <strong>这 家 公司</strong> 工作 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yīzhí <em>zài</em> <strong> zhè jiā gōngsī </strong> gōngzuò ma? </span> <span class="trans">Have you always been working in this company? </span>
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* 你 一直 <em>在</em> <strong>这 家 公司</strong> 工作 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yīzhí <em>zài</em> <strong> zhè jiā gōngsī </strong> gōngzuò ma? </span><span class="trans">Have you always been working in this company? </span>
* 我 周末 想 <em>在</em> <strong>家</strong> 睡觉。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhōumò xiǎng <em>zài</em> <strong>jiā</strong> shuìjiào. </span> <span class="trans">During the weekend, I want to sleep at home. </span>
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* 我 周末 想 <em>在</em> <strong>家</strong> 睡觉。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhōumò xiǎng <em>zài</em> <strong>jiā</strong> shuìjiào.</span><span class="trans">On 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 dōngxi. </span> <span class="trans">Don't eat food on the bed. </span>
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* 不 要 <em>在</em> <strong>床 上</strong> 吃 东西。<span class="expl pdf-long-expl">In addition to "在" you need a "上" to indicate the location "on the bed." </span><span class="pinyin">Bùyào <em>zài</em> <strong>chuáng shàng</strong> chī dōngxi.</span><span class="trans">Don't eat food on the bed.</span>
* 你 想 <em>在</em> <strong>哪儿</strong> 开 生日 派对?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiǎng <em>zài</em> <strong>nǎr</strong> kāi shēngrì pàiduì? </span> <span class="trans">Where do you want to have the birthday party? </span>
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* 你 想 <em>在</em> <strong>哪儿</strong> 开 生日 派对?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiǎng <em>zài</em> <strong>nǎr</strong> kāi shēngrì pàiduì? </span><span class="trans">Where do you want to have the birthday party? </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 in the bathroom. </span>
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* 他 喜欢 <em>在</em> <strong>厕所 里</strong> 抽烟。<span class="expl pdf-long-expl">In addition to "在" you need a "里" to indicate the location "in the bathroom." </span><span class="pinyin">Tā xǐhuan <em>zài</em> <strong>cèsuǒ lǐ</strong> chōuyān.</span><span class="trans">He likes to smoke in the bathroom.</span>
* 很 多 人 <em>在</em> <strong>地铁 上</strong> 吃 早饭。<span class="expl">need a "上" with "在" to indicate the location " in the subway." </span><span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén <em>zài</em> <strong>dìtiě shàng</strong> chī zǎofàn. </span> <span class="trans"> Many people eat breakfast on the subway. </span>
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* 很 多 人 <em>在</em> <strong>地铁 上</strong> 吃 早饭。<span class="expl pdf-long-expl">In addition to "在" you need a "上" to indicate the location "in the subway." </span><span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén <em>zài</em> <strong>dìtiě shàng</strong> chī zǎofàn.</span><span class="trans"> Many people eat breakfast 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> chànggē. </span> <span class="trans">Now we're singing songs at KTV. </span>
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* 现在 我们 <em>在</em> <strong>KTV</strong> 唱歌。<span class="pinyin">Xiànzài wǒmen <em>zài</em> <strong>KTV</strong> chànggē.</span><span class="trans">Now we're singing songs at karaoke.</span>
* 老板 <em>在</em> <strong>会议室</strong> 见 客户。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>zài</em> <strong>huìyìshì</strong> jiàn kèhù. </span> <span class="trans">The boss is seeing the client in the meeting room. </span>  
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* 老板 <em>在</em> <strong>会议室</strong> 见 客户。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>zài</em> <strong>huìyìshì</strong> jiàn kèhù.</span><span class="trans">The boss is seeing the client in the meeting room.</span>  
* 你 <em>在</em> <strong>外面</strong> 吃 过 晚饭 了 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zài</em> <strong>wàimiàn</strong> chī guo wǎnfàn le ma? </span> <span class="trans">Did you eat dinner outside? </span>
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* 你 <em>在</em> <strong>外面</strong> 吃 过 晚饭 了 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zài</em> <strong>wàimiàn</strong> chī guo wǎnfàn le ma? </span><span class="trans">Did you eat dinner outside? </span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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.
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Remember: in English we usually put the location at the end of a sentence. In Chinese, we put the location after the subject but ''before'' the verb.
  
== Getting More Specific with the Locations ==
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== Getting More Specific with Locations ==
  
 
Rather than just using 在 (zài) to mean "at" a location, you might want to use it to mean "in," "on," or "under" a specific location. To do this, you'll need to add an extra word after the location. Learn about  [[expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li"]].
 
Rather than just using 在 (zài) to mean "at" a location, you might want to use it to mean "in," "on," or "under" a specific location. To do this, you'll need to add an extra word after the location. Learn about  [[expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li"]].
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== See Also ==
 
== See Also ==
  
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* [[Expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li"]]
 
* [[Expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li"]]
 
* [[Special cases of "zai" following verbs]]
 
* [[Special cases of "zai" following verbs]]
* [[Complements with "dao", "gei" and "zai"]]
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* [[Complements with "dao," "gei," and "zai"]]
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (p. 128) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|66}}
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|128}}
  
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing location}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing location}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|在|A2|Subj. + 在 + Place + Verb|我 <em>在</em> 上海 工作。|grammar point|ASGX0Z0N}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|在|A2|Subj. + 在 + Place + Verb|我 <em>在</em> 上海 工作。|grammar point|ASGX0Z0N}}
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{{Similar|Expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li"}}
 
{{Similar|Special cases of "zai" following verbs}}
 
{{Similar|Special cases of "zai" following verbs}}
{{Similar|Complements with "dao", "gei" and "zai"}}
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{{Similar|Complements with "dao," "gei" and "zai"}}
 
{{Similar|Basic sentence order}}     
 
{{Similar|Basic sentence order}}     
 
{{POS|Verbs}}
 
{{POS|Verbs}}

Latest revision as of 09:22, 20 April 2021

If you need to include the place where an action takes place, you can use 在 (zài). Just pay close attention to word order, as this is one case in which Chinese word order is quite different from English.

Structure

To indicate the location that a verb takes place in, 在 (zài), followed by a location, comes before the verb.

Subj. + 在 + Place + Verb + Obj.

Notice that the location is placed before the verb in Chinese, whereas in English it appears afterwards.

Examples

  • 上海 上大学。zài Shànghǎi shàng dàxué.I went to college in Shanghai.
  • 你 一直 这 家 公司 工作 吗?Nǐ yīzhí zài zhè jiā gōngsī gōngzuò ma? Have you always been working in this company?
  • 我 周末 想 睡觉。Wǒ zhōumò xiǎng zài jiā shuìjiào.On the weekend, I want to sleep at home.
  • 不 要 床 上 吃 东西。In addition to "在" you need a "上" to indicate the location "on the bed." Bùyào zài chuáng shàng chī dōngxi.Don't eat food on the bed.
  • 你 想 哪儿 开 生日 派对?Nǐ xiǎng zài nǎr kāi shēngrì pàiduì? Where do you want to have the birthday party?
  • 他 喜欢 厕所 里 抽烟。In addition to "在" you need a "里" to indicate the location "in the bathroom." Tā xǐhuan zài cèsuǒ lǐ chōuyān.He likes to smoke in the bathroom.
  • 很 多 人 地铁 上 吃 早饭。In addition to "在" you need a "上" to indicate the location "in the subway." Hěn duō rén zài dìtiě shàng chī zǎofàn. Many people eat breakfast on the subway.
  • 现在 我们 KTV 唱歌。Xiànzài wǒmen zài KTV chànggē.Now we're singing songs at karaoke.
  • 老板 会议室 见 客户。Lǎobǎn zài huìyìshì jiàn kèhù.The boss is seeing the client in the meeting room.
  • 外面 吃 过 晚饭 了 吗?zài wàimiàn chī guo wǎnfàn le ma? Did you eat dinner outside?

Remember: in English we usually put the location at the end of a sentence. In Chinese, we put the location after the subject but before the verb.

Getting More Specific with Locations

Rather than just using 在 (zài) to mean "at" a location, you might want to use it to mean "in," "on," or "under" a specific location. To do this, you'll need to add an extra word after the location. Learn about expressing location with "zai... shang / xia / li".

See Also

Sources and further reading

Books