Usages of zài
她 现在 在 学习 呢。tā xiànzài zài xuéxí ne.
She is studying now.
他 在 做 这 个 吗？tā zài zuò zhè gè ma?
Is he doing this?
你 在 做 什么？nǐ zài zuò shénme?
What are you doing?
他 没 看见 我， 因为 他 一直 在 打 电话。tā méi kànjiàn wǒ, yīnwèi tā yìzhí zài dǎ diànhuà.
He didn't see me because he was on the phone the whole time.
我们 一直 在 学习， 下午 才 吃 午饭。wǒmen yìzhí zài xuéxí, xiàwǔ cái chī wǔfàn.
We were studying the whole time and only ate lunch in the afternoon.
他 连 午饭 都 没 吃， 因为 一直 在 开会。Tā lián wǔfàn dōu méi chī, yīnwèi yìzhí zài kāihuì.
He didn’t even eat lunch because he was in meetings the whole time.
夏天 的 晚上， 公园 里 很 多 人 不 想 一直 在 开 着 空调 的 房间 里， 而是 想 出来 散步。xiàtiān de wǎnshang, gōngyuán lǐ hěn duō rén bù xiǎng yìzhí zài kāi zhe kōngtiáo de fángjiān lǐ, érshì xiǎng chūlái sànbù.
On summer evenings, many people in the park don’t want to stay in air‑conditioned rooms; instead, they want to come out for a walk.
书店 今天 很多 书 都 在 打折。shūdiàn jīntiān hěnduō shū dōu zài dǎzhé.
Many books are on sale at the bookstore today.
她 昨天 有点儿 感冒， 今天 还 在 咳嗽。tā zuótiān yǒudiǎnr gǎnmào, jīntiān hái zài késou.
She had a bit of a cold yesterday, and she is still coughing today.
要不是 她 出门 前 又 看 了 一下 门 有没有 锁 好， 我 可能 现在 还 在 担心。yàobúshì tā chūmén qián yòu kàn le yíxià mén yǒuméiyǒu suǒ hǎo, wǒ kěnéng xiànzài hái zài dānxīn.
If it weren’t for her checking again before going out whether the door was locked, I’d probably still be worried now.
她 最近 在 找 房子， 想 在 公司 附近 租 一 个 带 阳台 的 公寓。tā zuìjìn zài zhǎo fángzi, xiǎng zài gōngsī fùjìn zū yí gè dài yángtái de gōngyù.
She’s been looking for a place recently and wants to rent an apartment with a balcony near the company.
这个 女人 在 买 食材。zhège nǚrén zài mǎi shícái.
This woman is buying ingredients.
这个 男人 在 用 洗衣机。zhège nánrén zài yòng xǐyījī.
This man is using the washing machine.
那个 男人 在 晾 衣服。nàge nánrén zài liàng yīfu.
That man is hanging out the clothes.
我 在 等 电话。wǒ zài děng diànhuà.
I am waiting for a phone call.
叶片 在 动。yèpiàn zài dòng.
The leaves are moving.
那 位 老 先生 在 浇水。nà wèi lǎo xiānsheng zài jiāoshuǐ.
That elderly gentleman is watering the plant.
我 只 是 在 开玩笑。wǒ zhǐ shì zài kāiwánxiào.
I was only joking.
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