Expressing actions in progress with 在

Structure

Examples

• 她在看书。
  Tā zài kànshū.
  She is reading.
• 妈妈在打电话。
  Māma zài dǎ diànhuà.
  Mom is making a phone call.
• 阿姨正在打扫我们的房间。
  Āyí zhèngzài dǎsǎo wǒmen de fángjiān.
  The cleaning lady is cleaning our room right now.
• 昨天晚上七点，我们在吃饭。
  Zuótiān wǎnshang qīdiǎn, wǒmen zài chīfàn.
  Yesterday at 7pm, we were eating dinner.
• 我们正在上课，请你等一会儿。
  Wǒmen zhèngzài shàngkè, qǐng nǐ děng yīhuìr.
  We are in class right now; please wait a moment.

Words that use this

• 在zàito exist; to be alive; (of sb or sth) to be (located) at; (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress)
• 正在zhèng zàijust at (that time); right in (that place); right in the middle of (doing sth)