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Questions & Answers about wǒmen zài gōngsī gōngzuò.
What does the word 在 do here—Is it a verb or a preposition?
In this sentence, 在 is a preposition meaning “at/in,” introducing the location: 在公司 “at the company.” As a verb, 在 can mean “to be present/at” (e.g., 他不在 “He isn’t here”), but here it’s a preposition before the place phrase.
Why is the location placed before the verb? Can I say 我们工作在公司?
The natural word order is Subject + 在 + place + verb: 我们在公司工作. While 我们工作在公司 does appear in formal writing, it sounds stiff or unnatural in everyday speech. Prefer 在公司工作 in conversation.
Do I need to add 里/里面 after 公司 (e.g., 在公司里工作)?
Not required. 在公司工作 is complete and very common. Adding 里/里面 (e.g., 在公司里工作) emphasizes “inside” the company or sounds a bit more colloquial/emphatic; 在公司内工作 is a more formal alternative.
Does 公司 here mean “the company” or “a company”? How do I specify?
Chinese doesn’t mark articles. 在公司 can mean “at the company” (context-known) or “at a company” generically. To be explicit:
- “at a company”: 在一家公司工作
- “at this/that company”: 在这家公司/那家公司工作
- “at our company”: 在我们公司工作
How do I say “We are working at the company right now” versus a general/habitual “We work at the company”?
The base 我们在公司工作 can be habitual or present, depending on context. To make “right now” clear, add time/aspect markers:
- Right now: 我们现在在公司工作 or 我们正在公司工作
- Habitual: add a frequency/time word, e.g., 我们每天在公司工作
How do I negate this correctly? What’s the difference between 不 and 没 here?
- Habitual/statement of fact: 我们不在公司工作 = “We do not work at that company.”
- Past/within a past time frame: 我们没在公司工作 = “We didn’t work at the company.”
- Physical location now: 我们不在公司 = “We are not at the company (right now).” Note that 我们在公司不工作 means “When we’re at the company, we don’t work” (odd/contradictory, but grammatical).
What’s the difference between 工作, 上班, and 办公?
- 工作: “to work” (verb) or “work/job” (noun). 在公司工作 = employed by/working at a company.
- 上班: “to be on duty/go to work.” 在公司上班 = go to/attend work at the company.
- 办公: “to handle office tasks.” Often used in set phrases like 在家办公 “work from home (do office work at home).”
Can I drop the subject 我们?
Yes, if context makes it clear. 在公司工作 can mean “(We/they/people) work at a company.” Chinese often omits known subjects.
How do I turn this into a yes–no question?
Add 吗 at the end:
- 你们在公司工作吗？ You can also confirm with 对吗/是不是: 你们在公司工作，对吗？
How do I ask “Where do you work?”
- 你在哪儿工作？
- 你在哪里工作？ Both are common; 哪儿 is more colloquial in the north.
What measure words should I use with 公司 and with 工作 (as “a job”)?
- 公司: use 家. Example: 一家大公司 “a big company.”
- 工作 (job): use 份. Example: 一份工作 “a job.” Note: You’ll hear 一个公司, but 一家 is more idiomatic for companies.
Is 工作 a verb or a noun here? Can it take an object?
Here 工作 is a verb “to work” and it doesn’t take a direct object. As a noun, it means “work/job,” e.g., 找工作 “look for a job,” 这份工作 “this job.”
Can I say 我们公司工作? How is that different from 我们在公司工作?
- 我们公司 = “our company” (noun phrase). 我们公司工作很忙 = “At our company, work is busy.”
- 我们在公司工作 = “We work at the company.” Don’t drop 在 here; 我们公司工作 would mean something different or be incomplete.
Can I use 于 instead of 在 (e.g., 我们于公司工作)?
Not in everyday speech. 于 is formal/literary and collocates with certain verbs: 就职于/任职于某公司 (“be employed at/hold a post at a company”). Use 在 for normal conversation: 在公司工作.
Are spaces between the characters normal in Chinese?
No. Modern written Chinese does not use spaces between words. They’re added in teaching materials for clarity. The standard writing is 我们在公司工作。
Where do time words go relative to place?
Typical order is Time > Place > Verb:
- 我们每天在公司工作。 (natural) Putting time after place, e.g., 我们在公司每天工作, is possible but less natural and often used only for emphasis/contrast.
How do I express duration with 了?
Use a duration after the verb phrase:
- 我们在这家公司工作了三年。 = “We have worked at this company for three years.” Without a duration, 我们在公司工作了 often needs context (e.g., followed by “然后辞职了”). It can imply a change of state (“We’ve started working at the company”), but add context to avoid ambiguity.
How do I emphasize that it’s specifically at the company that we work?
Use the 是…的 focus pattern:
- 我们是在公司工作的。 This highlights/clarifies the location as the focus.