Introduction
在 (zài) before a verb says an action is happening now. Put 还 (hái) in front of it and you add a judgement: it is still happening, later than you expected. 他还在工作。(Tā hái zài gōngzuò.) — He's still working — I thought he'd have finished by now.
Overview
Structure: Subj. + 还在 (hái zài) + [Verb Phrase]
| Pattern | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Subj + 还在 + Verb | 他还在工作。(Tā hái zài gōngzuò.) | He's still working. |
| Subj + 还在 + Place | 我还在家。(Wǒ hái zài jiā.) | I'm still at home. |
| Subj + 还在 + Verb + 呢 | 他还在睡觉呢。(Tā hái zài shuìjiào ne.) | He's still asleep. |
| Subj + 还没 + Verb | 我还没吃饭。(Wǒ hái méi chī fàn.) | I haven't eaten yet. |
| Question | 你还在学中文吗？(Nǐ hái zài xué Zhōngwén ma?) | Are you still studying Chinese? |
在 (zài) or 还在 (hái zài) — what does 还 add?
- 他在工作。(Tā zài gōngzuò.) — He's working. A neutral report.
- 他还在工作。(Tā hái zài gōngzuò.) — He's still working. It has gone on longer than expected.
- The mirror image is 还没 (hái méi) — not yet: 他还没来。(Tā hái méi lái.) — He hasn't come yet.
- 还 (hái) always carries the feeling "this is not over". That is why 还没 means "not yet" rather than a flat "didn't".
Examples
他还在工作。
Tā hái zài gōngzuò.
He's still working.
我还在家，二十分钟到。
Wǒ hái zài jiā, èrshí fēnzhōng dào.
I'm still at home, I'll be there in twenty minutes.
你还在睡觉吗？
Nǐ hái zài shuìjiào ma?
Are you still asleep?
他们还在吃饭呢。
Tāmen hái zài chī fàn ne.
They're still eating.
我还在学中文。
Wǒ hái zài xué Zhōngwén.
I'm still learning Chinese.
下雨了，他还在外面。
Xià yǔ le, tā hái zài wàimiàn.
It's started raining and he's still outside.
Usage Notes
- 呢 (ne) at the end goes very naturally with 还在: 他还在忙呢。(Tā hái zài máng ne.) — He's still busy.
- 还 (hái) on its own before a verb means "in addition": 我还想喝茶。(Wǒ hái xiǎng hē chá.) — I'd like some tea as well. That is a different use of the same word.
- 还没 (hái méi) and 没 (méi) are not the same: 我没吃 (wǒ méi chī) — I didn't eat; 我还没吃 (wǒ hái méi chī) — I haven't eaten yet, and I intend to.
- When the verb is a location, 在 (zài) is the verb itself and 还 goes in front of it: 我还在公司。(Wǒ hái zài gōngsī.) — I'm still at the office.
- To say something is no longer happening, use 不……了 (bù … le) instead: 他不工作了。(Tā bù gōngzuò le.) — He's stopped working.