Difference between revisions of "Special cases of "zai" following verbs"

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* 他 坐 <em>在 老板 的 旁边</em>。<span class="pinyin">Tā zuò <em>zài  lǎobǎn de pángbiān</em>. </span> <span class="trans">He sits next to the boss. </span>
 
* 他 坐 <em>在 老板 的 旁边</em>。<span class="pinyin">Tā zuò <em>zài  lǎobǎn de pángbiān</em>. </span> <span class="trans">He sits next to the boss. </span>
 
* 你 应该 站 <em>在 我 后面</em>。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yīnggāi zhàn <em>zài wǒ hòumian</em>. </span> <span class="trans">You should stand behind me. </span>
 
* 你 应该 站 <em>在 我 后面</em>。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yīnggāi zhàn <em>zài wǒ hòumian</em>. </span> <span class="trans">You should stand behind me. </span>
* 不要 坐 <em>在 我 的 床 上</em >。<span class="pinyin">Bùyào rēng <em>zài dìshang</em>. </span> <span class="trans">Don't throw on the ground. </span>
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* 不要 坐 <em>在 我 的 床 上</em >。<span class="pinyin">Bùyào zuò <em>zài wǒ de chuáng shang</em>. </span> <span class="trans">Don't sit on my bed. </span>
 
* 你 的 衣服 不可以 放 <em>在 这里</em>。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de yīfu bùkěyǐ fàng <em>zài zhèlǐ</em>. </span> <span class="trans">You can't put your clothes here. </span>
 
* 你 的 衣服 不可以 放 <em>在 这里</em>。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de yīfu bùkěyǐ fàng <em>zài zhèlǐ</em>. </span> <span class="trans">You can't put your clothes here. </span>
 
* 不要 站 <em>在 路 中间</em>。<span class="pinyin">Bùyào zhàn <em>zài lù zhōngjiān</em>. </span> <span class="trans">Don't stand in the middle of the road. </span>
 
* 不要 站 <em>在 路 中间</em>。<span class="pinyin">Bùyào zhàn <em>zài lù zhōngjiān</em>. </span> <span class="trans">Don't stand in the middle of the road. </span>
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* 那 本 书 我 放 <em>在 桌子 上</em> 了。<span class="pinyin">Nà běn shū wǒ fàng <em>zài zhuōzi shang</em> le. </span> <span class="trans">I placed that book on the table. </span>
 
* 那 本 书 我 放 <em>在 桌子 上</em> 了。<span class="pinyin">Nà běn shū wǒ fàng <em>zài zhuōzi shang</em> le. </span> <span class="trans">I placed that book on the table. </span>
 
* 不要 <em>走 在 草地 上</em>。<span class="pinyin">Búyào <em>zǒu zài cǎodìshang</em>. </span> <span class="trans">Don't walk on the grass. </span>
 
* 不要 <em>走 在 草地 上</em>。<span class="pinyin">Búyào <em>zǒu zài cǎodìshang</em>. </span> <span class="trans">Don't walk on the grass. </span>
* 我男朋友 不想 <em>待 在 公司</em> 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nánpéngyou bù xiǎng<em>dāi zài zhè jiā gōngsī</em> le. </span> <span class="trans">My boyfriend no longer wants to stay in this company. </span>
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* 周末 我 不想 <em>待 在 家 </em><span class="pinyin">Zhōumò wǒ bù xiǎng<em>dāi jiā </em>. </span> <span class="trans">I don'e want to stay at home on weekends. </span>
  
 
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Revision as of 03:33, 23 November 2015

When used to indicate locations, 在 (zài) is usually placed immediately after the subject. However, there are exceptions to this rule.

In some cases, the usual rule for location preceding the verb does not apply. Instead, it goes after the verb. This often occurs with particular verbs, including: 住 (zhù), 放 (fàng), 坐 (zuò), 站 (zhàn).

Structure

These are verbs that imply movement or location. Technically, the structure is called a location complement, but it can be understood without going into that much detail. Just remember that for verbs implying movement or location like the ones above, the rule changes and you get this structure:

Subj. + [Special Verb] + 在 + Location

Examples

  • 你 住 在 上海 吗?Nǐ zhù zài Shànghǎi ma? Do you live in Shanghai?
  • 他 坐 在 老板 的 旁边Tā zuò zài lǎobǎn de pángbiān. He sits next to the boss.
  • 你 应该 站 在 我 后面Nǐ yīnggāi zhàn zài wǒ hòumian. You should stand behind me.
  • 不要 坐 在 我 的 床 上Bùyào zuò zài wǒ de chuáng shang. Don't sit on my bed.
  • 你 的 衣服 不可以 放 在 这里Nǐ de yīfu bùkěyǐ fàng zài zhèlǐ. You can't put your clothes here.
  • 不要 站 在 路 中间Bùyào zhàn zài lù zhōngjiān. Don't stand in the middle of the road.
  • 孩子 总是 喜欢 坐 在 地 上Háizi zǒngshì xǐhuan zuò zài dìshang. Kids always like sitting on the ground.
  • 那 本 书 我 放 在 桌子 上 了。Nà běn shū wǒ fàng zài zhuōzi shang le. I placed that book on the table.
  • 不要 走 在 草地 上Búyào zǒu zài cǎodìshang. Don't walk on the grass.
  • 周末 我 不想 待 在 家 里Zhōumò wǒ bù xiǎngdāi zà jiā lǐ. I don'e want to stay at home on weekends.

Remember that this is an exception to the normal rule. A common mistake is to over apply this and produce incorrect sentences. Note the incorrect and correct versions below.

  • 我 工作 在 上海Wǒ gōngzuò zài Shànghǎi. I work located in Shanghai. (incorrect)
  • 在 上海 工作。zài Shànghǎi gōngzuò. I work in Shanghai. (correct)
  • 我 学习 在 图书馆Wǒ xuéxí zài túshūguǎn. I study located in the library. (incorrect)
  • 在 图书馆 学习。zài túshūguǎn xuéxí. I study in the library. (correct)

See also

Books