Learn Hardcore Chinese: tā xiànzài zài gōngsī gōngzuò ne.

In this sentence, 呢 (ne) is not a question marker. It’s a sentence-final particle that marks an ongoing/current situation and softens the tone, often implying “right now/at the moment” or a continuing state.
Contrast:
- 他现在在公司工作。 neutral fact
- 他现在在公司工作呢。 suggests it’s in progress right now and invites follow-up

Is 在 marking “be doing” here, or just “at/in”?

Here 在 precedes 公司, so it’s the preposition “at/in”: 在公司 (“at the company”).
When 在 marks the progressive, it sits right before the verb: 他在工作呢 / 他在吃饭呢. In this sentence, the “ongoing” feel mainly comes from 现在
- 呢, not from 在.

Can I say this with 正在 or other alternatives?

Yes:
- 他现在正在公司工作。 (explicit progressive)
- 他现在在公司上班。 (emphasizes “on duty/at work”)
- You can even combine for emphasis: 他现在正在公司工作呢。 (a bit heavy but heard in speech)

What changes if I drop 呢?

他现在在公司工作 is a neutral statement. Context decides whether it means “He works at that company (these days)” or “He’s at the company working now.” With 呢, the “right now, ongoing” reading is stronger and the tone is softer.

Does 现在 mean “right now” or “these days”?

Both, depending on context:
- With 呢/正在, 现在 usually means “right now.”
- Without progressive marking, it often means “currently/these days.” For example, 他现在在这家公司工作了 means “He now works at this company” (change of status), not necessarily “at this very moment.”

What’s the word order for time and place?

Do I need 里 after 公司? Difference between 在公司 and 在公司里?

在公司工作 can mean “work for the company” or “work at the company building,” depending on context.
在公司里工作 highlights being physically inside the premises. It’s optional here; use it if you want to stress the location inside the building.

Why not say 工作在公司?

The natural pattern is to front the place with 在: 在公司工作.
Some verbs accept “Verb + 在 + place” (e.g., 住在北京, 坐在椅子上). 工作 usually doesn’t in everyday speech. Phrases like 工作在一线 appear in formal/slogan style; avoid 工作在公司 in conversation.

What’s the difference between 工作 and 上班 here?

工作 (gōngzuò) as a verb = to work; neutral; can mean the activity or long-term employment.
上班 (shàngbān) = to be on duty/at work (during work hours); opposite 下班.
Compare:
- 他在公司工作。 He works for that company.
- 他在公司上班。 He is an employee there / he goes in to work; in the present context it often implies he’s on duty.

Can I say 他现在在公司工作着?

That’s uncommon/unnatural. 着 marks a continuous state rather than an ongoing activity like working. Use 在/正在/呢 instead: 他现在在公司工作呢 / 他现在正在公司工作.

Could I use 了 instead of 呢?

No. 他现在在公司工作了 uses 了 to show a change of state: he now works at that company (he didn’t before). It does not mean “He is working right now.” For “right now,” use 在/正在/呢.

How do I negate this? Do I use 不 or 没?

Long-term/habitual (not employed there now): 他现在不在公司工作。
Right now/ongoing action (he isn’t working there at the moment): 他现在没在公司工作。
Location only: 他现在不在公司。
Rule of thumb: 不 for general/habitual; 没(有) to deny occurrence/ongoing action or past events.

Why not add 是, like 他现在是在公司工作呢?

是 is a copula; you don’t place it before a verb phrase to make a present progressive.
The cleft 是…的 mainly emphasizes details of a past event. Using 是 here either sounds contrastive/marked or awkward with 呢. Prefer 他现在在公司工作呢.

Do I need an article like “a/the” before 公司?

Chinese has no articles. 在公司工作 can mean “at a company” or “at the company,” decided by context.
To be explicit:
- Indefinite: 在一个公司工作.
- Specific: 在这家公司工作 / 在那家公司工作 (the classifier 家 is standard for companies).

Pronunciation and tones check?