ChineseGrammarWiki/MD/A2/12.mw

{{Grammar Box}} 

在 (zài) and 正在 (zhèngzài) can be used as [[auxiliary verb|auxiliary verbs]] to express that an action is ''ongoing'' or ''in progress''. This is often the equivalent of ''present continuous'' in English, which is how we express that an activity is happening ''now''.

You can use 正在 (zhèngzài) instead of just 在 (zài) to put a little more emphasis on an action that is ''in progress '''right now'''''.

== Structure ==

<div class="jiegou">

Subj. + 在 + Verb + Obj.

</div>

or

<div class="jiegou">

Subj. + 正在 + Verb + Obj.

</div>

== Examples ==

<div class="liju">

*她 <em>在</em> 看 书。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zài</em> kànshū.</span><span class="trans">She is reading.</span>
*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>
*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>
*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>
*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>
*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>
*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>
*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>
*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>
*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>

</div>

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 (''right now''). "在 (zài) + Verb" is more commonly used than "正在 (zhèngzài) + Verb," but both are fine to use.

== See Also ==

*[[Aspect particle "zhe"]]
*[[Expressing actions in progress (full form)]] (more advanced usage)

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===

* [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (pp. 41-2) [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] 
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 60-1) [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]
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 209-10) [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]
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 218-9) [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]

[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
{{Used for|Referring to the present }}
{{Used for|Indicating conditions}}
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
{{Basic Grammar|在|A2|(正)在 + Verb|我们 <em>正在</em> 吃饭。|grammar point|ASG846EA}}
{{Rel char|正在}}
{{Rel char|正}}
{{Similar|Aspect particle "zhe"}}
{{Similar|Expressing actions in progress (full form)}}  
{{POS|Adverbs}}