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 chī fàn ne.I'm eating now.
- 爷爷看报纸呢，别打扰他。Yé ye kàn bào zhǐ ne, bié dǎ rǎo tā.Grandpa is reading newspapers now. Don't disturb him.
- 他上厕所呢。Tā shàng cè suǒ ne.He's using the bathroom now.
- 我们上着汉语课呢。Wǒ men shàng zhe hàn yǔ kè ne.We're having a Chinese lesson now.
- 老板开着会呢，不方便接电话。Lǎo bǎn kāi zhe huì ne, bù fāng biàn jiē diàn huà.The boss is in the middle of a meeting. It's not convenient for him to talk on the phone.
Words that use this
- 正在zhèng zàijust at (that time); right in (that place); right in the middle of (doing sth)
- 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zhèngstraight; upright; proper; main; principal; to correct; to rectify; exactly; just (at that time); right (in that place); (math.) positive