Lessons 17, 26, 29: Actions in progress

Use 在, 正, 正在 before the verb and 呢 at the end of the sentence to say an action is in progress.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 2 · Lesson 17 · Hanyu 2 · Lesson 26 · Hanyu 2 · Lesson 29

他正在看电视呢。

Tā zhèngzài kàn diànshì ne.

He is watching TV.

Explanation

Adding the adverb 在, 正在 or 正 before the verb, or 呢 at the end of the sentence, shows that an action is in progress. 在, 正在 and 正 can also be used together with 呢.

正 emphasizes that the action is going on at a particular time. 在 emphasizes the ongoing state of the action. 正在 combines both the particular time and the ongoing state. The negative form uses 没(有).

Some verbs cannot be used with 正, 在 or 正在. These verbs are: 是, 在, 有, 来, 去, 认识… You cannot say: *正在是留学生呢.

In addition, the modal particle 呢 at the end of a question softens the tone (我们怎么去呢？).

Structure

1
正 / 在 / 正在V (+ O)呢optional
Shows an action in progress; can be used together with 呢 at the end of the sentence.
- A：麦克正在做什么呢？ B：他正在看电视呢。
  A: Màikè zhèngzài zuò shénme ne? B: Tā zhèngzài kàn diànshì ne.
  A: What is Mike doing? B: He's watching TV.
- A：你在做什么呢？ B：我在听录音呢。
  A: Nǐ zài zuò shénme ne? B: Wǒ zài tīng lùyīn ne.
  A: What are you doing? B: I'm listening to the recording.
- A：他们正做什么呢？ B：他们正上课呢。
  A: Tāmen zhèng zuò shénme ne? B: Tāmen zhèng shàngkè ne.
  A: What are they doing? B: They're in class.
- 他正想去书店买《汉英词典》呢。
  Tā zhèng xiǎng qù shūdiàn mǎi 《Hàn-Yīng cídiǎn》 ne.
  He's just thinking of going to the bookstore to buy the Chinese–English Dictionary.
- 我看见玛丽了。她在操场打太极拳呢。
  Wǒ kànjiàn Mǎlì le. Tā zài cāochǎng dǎ tàijíquán ne.
  I saw Mary. She's practicing tai chi on the sports field.
2
没(有)VverbOobjectoptional
The negative of an action in progress uses 没(有).
- A：他们在上课吗？ B：他们没上课。
  A: Tāmen zài shàngkè ma? B: Tāmen méi shàngkè.
  A: Are they studying? B: They're not in class.
- A：麦克，你是不是在听音乐呢？ B：我没有听音乐，我在听课文录音呢。
  A: Màikè, nǐ shì bu shì zài tīng yīnyuè ne? B: Wǒ méiyǒu tīng yīnyuè, wǒ zài tīng kèwén lùyīn ne.
  A: Mike, are you listening to music? B: I'm not listening to music; I'm listening to the recording of the text.
3
Câu hỏi呢？
呢 at the end of a question softens the tone.
- A：我们怎么去呢？ B：骑车去吧。
  A: Wǒmen zěnme qù ne? B: Qí chē qù ba.
  A: How shall we go? B: Let's go by bike.
- 他去不去呢？
  Tā qù bu qù ne?
  Is he going or not?
- 你上午去还是下午去呢？
  Nǐ shàngwǔ qù háishi xiàwǔ qù ne?
  Are you going in the morning or in the afternoon?

Common mistakes

~~正在是留学生呢~~
是, 在, 有, 来, 去, 认识 are not used with 正/在/正在
~~我正在听听录音呢~~
reduplicated verbs are not used with 正在

Practice

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