<!DOCTYPE html> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta name="generator" content= "HTML Tidy for HTML5 for Linux version 5.2.0" /> <title></title> </head> <body> <p>在 (zài) and 正在 (zhèngzài) can be used as <a href= "auxiliary_verb" title="wikilink">auxiliary verbs</a> to express that an action is <em>ongoing</em> or <em>in progress</em>. This is often the equivalent of <em>present continuous</em> in English, which is how we express that an activity is happening <em>now</em>.</p> <p>You can use 正在 (zhèngzài) instead of just 在 (zài) to put a little more emphasis on an action that is <em>in progress <strong>right now</strong></em>.</p> <h2 id="structure">Structure</h2> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Subj. + 在 + Verb + Obj.</p> </div> <p>or</p> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Subj. + 正在 + Verb + Obj.</p> </div> <h2 id="examples">Examples</h2> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>她 <em>在</em> 看 书。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zài</em> kànshū.</span><span class="trans">She is reading.</span></li> <li>妈妈 <em>在</em> 打 电话。<span class="pinyin">Māma <em>zài</em> dǎ diànhuà.</span><span class="trans">Mom is making a phone call.</span></li> <li>谁 <em>在</em> 里面 洗澡？<span class="pinyin">Shéi <em>zài</em> lǐmiàn xǐzǎo?</span><span class="trans">Who is taking a shower in there?</span></li> <li>阿姨 <em>正在</em> 打扫 我们 的 房间。<span class="pinyin">Āyí <em>zhèngzài</em> dǎsǎo wǒmen de fángjiān.</span><span class= "trans">The cleaning lady is cleaning our room right now.</span></li> <li>昨天 晚上 七点，我们 <em>在</em> 吃饭。<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān wǎnshang qīdiǎn, wǒmen <em>zài</em> chīfàn.</span> <span class= "trans">Yesterday at 7pm, we were eating dinner.</span></li> <li>老板 <em>在</em> 开会，没有 时间 见 你。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>zài</em> kāihuì, méiyǒu shíjiān jiàn nǐ.</span><span class= "trans">The boss is currently in a meeting. He doesn't have time to see you.</span></li> <li>我 现在 <em>在</em> 上班，不方便 离开。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiànzài <em>zài</em> shàngbān, bù fāngbiàn líkāi.</span><span class= "trans">I am working now. It's not convenient for me to leave.</span></li> <li>我们 <em>正在</em> 上课，请 你 等 一会儿。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>zhèngzài</em> shàngkè, qǐng nǐ děng yīhuìr.</span><span class= "trans">We are in class right now; please wait a moment.</span></li> <li>你 <em>正在</em> 开车，不 可以 玩 手机。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>zhèngzài</em> kāichē, bù kěyǐ wán shǒujī.</span><span class= "trans">You're driving right now; you can't play with your cell phone.</span></li> <li>你 给 我 打 电话 的时候，我 <em>正在</em> 跟 朋友 打 游戏 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà de shíhou, wǒ <em>zhèngzài</em> gēn péngyou dǎ yóuxì.</span><span class="trans">When you called me, I was playing video games with friends.</span></li> </ul> </div> <p>There is no need to worry too much about when to use 在 (zài) or 正在 (zhèngzài), since they basically mean the same thing. 正在 (zhèngzài) usually shows that the action is in progress (<em>right now</em>). "在 (zài) + Verb" is more commonly used than "正在 (zhèngzài) + Verb," but both are fine to use.</p> <h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2> <ul> <li><a href="Aspect_particle_"zhe"" title= "wikilink">Aspect particle "zhe"</a></li> <li><a href="Expressing_actions_in_progress_(full_form)" title= "wikilink">Expressing actions in progress (full form)</a> (more advanced usage)</li> </ul> <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2> <h3 id="books">Books</h3> <ul> <li><a href="Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar" title= "wikilink">Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar</a> (pp. 41-2) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899"> →buy</a></li> <li><a href="Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition" title= "wikilink">Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition</a> (pp. 60-1) <a href= "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615"> →buy</a></li> <li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed)" title= "wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)</a> (pp. 209-10) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href= "New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_2_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC2)" title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)</a> (pp. 218-9) <a href= "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297"> →buy</a></li> </ul> <p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title= "wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p> </body> </html>