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在 (continuous)

HSK 1
  • Aspect

Structure (结构 jiégòu)

Subject在Verb(Object)

Meaning (意思 yìsi)

Adverb 在 placed before a verb to express an action that is currently in progress at the moment of speaking.

Explanation (解释 jiěshì)

在 is an adverb used to emphasize that an action is currently in progress, similar to the present continuous tense in English (V-ing). It answers the question "what are you doing?"

For added emphasis, the particle 呢 can be appended to the end of the sentence, e.g. 你在做什么呢？ (What are you doing?)

Examples (例句 lìjù)(5)

  1. 我在吃饭。
    繁: 我在吃飯。Wǒ zài chī fàn.

    I am eating rice.

  2. 他在看电视。
    繁: 他在看電視。Tā zài kàn diànshì.

    He is watching television.

  3. 妈妈在做饭。
    繁: 媽媽在做飯。Māma zài zuò fàn.

    Mom is cooking.

  4. 你在听音乐吗？
    繁: 你在聽音樂嗎？Nǐ zài tīng yīnyuè ma?

    Are you listening to music?

  5. 我们在学汉语。
    繁: 我們在學漢語。Wǒmen zài xué Hànyǔ.

    We are studying Chinese.