Lesson 10: Continuing actions or states: verb + 着

The aspect particle 着 shows an action or state that is continuing; it is often used in descriptions.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 3 · Lesson 10

墙上贴着红双喜字。

Qiáng shang tiēzhe hóng shuāngxǐ zì.

A red double-happiness character is pasted on the wall.

Explanation

Adding the aspect particle “着” after a verb mainly shows that an action or state is continuing. In everyday conversation it is often used for description. Examples: 贴 is in progress and continuing (他正在往墙上贴着红双喜字); after the action of 贴 takes place, 红双喜字 is in the state of being “stuck on” (墙上贴着红双喜字); 穿 is in progress and continuing (她正在里面穿着衣服呢); after the action of 穿 takes place, 红衣服 is in a state of existence (她穿着一件红衣服).

Negative form: 没(有)……着, but it is rarely used in conversation. Yes-no (affirmative-negative) question: verb + 着 + 没有?

“Verb + 着” placed before the second verb in a serial-verb sentence explains the manner or state in which the second action is carried out.

“Verb + 着” is often used together with words such as 正在, 正, 在, 呢.

Structure

1
动词着
Shows a continuing action or state.
- 同学们走着，说着，笑着，可热闹啦。
  Tóngxuémen zǒuzhe, shuōzhe, xiàozhe, kě rènao la.
  They walk along, chatting and laughing, and it's lively.
- 他正在往墙上贴着红双喜字。
  Tā zhèngzài wǎng qiáng shang tiēzhe hóng shuāngxǐ zì.
  He is pasting a red double-happiness character on the wall.
- 墙上贴着红双喜字。
  Qiáng shang tiēzhe hóng shuāngxǐ zì.
  A red double-happiness character is pasted on the wall.
- 她正在里面穿着衣服呢，请等一会儿。
  Tā zhèngzài lǐmiàn chuānzhe yīfu ne, qǐng děng yíhuìr.
  She is changing clothes in there; please wait a moment.
- 她穿着一件红衣服。
  Tā chuānzhe yí jiàn hóng yīfu.
  She is wearing a red top.
2
没(有)动词着
Negative form; rarely used in conversation.
- 老师没在前面坐着，他站着呢。
  Lǎoshī méi zài qiánmiàn zuòzhe, tā zhànzhe ne.
  The teacher isn't sitting at the front; he is standing.
- 教室的门没开着。
  Jiàoshì de mén méi kāizhe.
  The classroom door isn't open.
- 书上没写着名字，不知道是谁的书。
  Shū shang méi xiězhe míngzi, bù zhīdào shì shéi de shū.
  There is no name written on the book, so I don't know whose it is.
3
动词着没有？
Yes-no (affirmative-negative) question.
- 里边开着会没有？
  Lǐbian kāizhe huì méiyǒu?
  Is there a meeting going on inside?
- 墙上挂着地图没有？
  Qiáng shang guàzhe dìtú méiyǒu?
  Is there a map hanging on the wall?
4
动词1着动词2 (câu liên động)
Explains the manner or state in which the second action is carried out.
- 她正在前边站着讲话呢。
  Tā zhèngzài qiánbian zhànzhe jiǎnghuà ne.
  She is standing at the front, talking.
- 她笑着对我说：“欢迎！欢迎！”
  Tā xiàozhe duì wǒ shuō: “Huānyíng! Huānyíng!”
  She said to me with a smile, “Welcome! Welcome!”
- 那里离这儿不远，我们走着去吧。
  Nàli lí zhèr bù yuǎn, wǒmen zǒuzhe qù ba.
  It's not far from here; let's walk.
5
正在/正/在动词着呢optional
“Verb + 着” is often used together with 正在, 正, 在, 呢.
- 里边正上着课呢。
  Lǐbian zhèng shàngzhe kè ne.
  They're having class in there.
- 她来时，我正在躺着看书呢。
  Tā lái shí, wǒ zhèngzài tǎngzhe kàn shū ne.
  When she arrived, I was lying down reading.

Usage notes

The negative 没(有)……着 is rarely used in conversation; yes-no question: 动词 + 着 + 没有?
Use 在 for a place after the verb (躺在床上, 挂在墙上), not 着.

Common mistakes

~~他吃了饭就躺着床上~~
他吃了饭就躺在床上
~~我一进他的房间就看见挂着墙上的画~~
我一进他的房间就看见了挂在墙上的画
~~他已经病着一个多星期了~~
他已经病了一个多星期了
~~我们坐着房间里谈话~~
他们在房间里坐着谈话呢
~~中国的商店星期日也不关着门~~
中国的商店星期日也不关门
~~她穿着一件红大衣在身上~~
她穿着一件红大衣

Practice

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