Verb phrasesHSK 4
Expressing actions in progress (full form)
To express an ongoing action, Chinese uses optional markers: the adverbs 在, 正, 正在, the aspect particle 着, and the sentence-final particle 呢. The most common patterns are simply 在 + Verb or Verb + 呢, and you rarely see all markers combined.
Structure
Subj. + 在 / 正 / 正在 + Verb + 呢
all elements optional; 在 + Verb is most frequent
Subj. + Verb + 着 (+ Obj.) + 呢
marks a continuing action or state, often with 呢
Subj. + Verb + Obj. + 呢
simplest pattern with only sentence-final particle
Examples
- 我吃饭呢。Wǒ chīfàn ne .I'm eating now.
- 爷爷看报纸呢，别打扰他。Yéye kàn bàozhǐ ne , bié dǎrǎo tā.Grandpa is reading newspapers now. Don't disturb him.
- 他上厕所呢。Tā shàng cèsuǒ ne .He's using the bathroom now.
- 我们上着汉语课呢。Wǒmen shàng zhe Hànyǔ kè ne .We're having a Chinese lesson now.
- 老板开着会呢，不方便接电话。Lǎobǎn kāi zhe huì ne , bù fāngbiàn jiē diànhuà.The boss is in the middle of a meeting. It's not convenient for him to talk on the phone.