ChineseGrammarWiki/MD/A2/12.mw.html

<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>). &quot;在 (zài) + Verb&quot; is more commonly used than &quot;正在 (zhèngzài) + Verb,&quot; but both are fine to use.</p>
<h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="Aspect_particle_&quot;zhe&quot;" title="wikilink">Aspect particle &quot;zhe&quot;</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&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;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&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;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&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=0887276385">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_2_(新实用汉语课本2)" 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&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=7561911297">→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<p>        </p>
<p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p>