How to say “doing something now” in Chinese with 在 (zài)
(正 (zhèng)) 在 (zài) + Verb
Expressing actions in progress with "在 (zài)"
(正 (zhèng)) 在 (zài) + Verb
HSK 1AdverbsExpressing actions in progress with "在 (zài)"
Rule structure
在 (zài) and 正在 (zhèngzài) can be used as 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)…呢 (ne) or 正在 (zhèngzài) instead of just 在 (zài) to put a little more emphasis on an action that is in progress right now.
Rule structure
在 (zài) and 正在 (zhèngzài) can be used as 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)…呢 (ne) or 正在 (zhèngzài) instead of just 在 (zài) to put a little more emphasis on an action that is in progress right now.
Examples
我们正在吃饭。
Wǒmen zhèngzài chī fàn.
We are eating right now.
Examples
我们正在吃饭。
Wǒmen zhèngzài chī fàn.
We are eating right now.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you express “Expressing actions in progress with "在 (zài)"” in Chinese?
Use the structure: (正 (zhèng)) 在 (zài) + Verb. For example: 我们正在吃饭。 — “We are eating right now.”.
What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?
我们正在吃饭。 — “We are eating right now.”.
Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?
This grammar rule is part of HSK 1.
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Time words and word order
Subj. + Time … / Time + Subj. …