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wǒmen měitiān zài xuéxiào xuéxí.

我们wǒmen　每天měitiān　在zài　学校xuéxiào　学习xuéxí。wǒmen měitiān zài xuéxiào xuéxí.
We study at school every day.
FromLesson 5inHardcore Chinese
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Questions & Answers about wǒmen měitiān zài xuéxiào xuéxí.

Why is the order “我们 + 每天 + 在学校 + 学习”? Where do time and place go in Chinese?
  • The common order is: Subject + Time + Place + Verb (+ Object).
  • Here: 我们 (subject) + 每天 (time) + 在学校 (place) + 学习 (verb).
  • Time usually precedes place. Variations:
    • 每天我们在学校学习 (fronts time for emphasis) is fine.
    • 在学校，我们每天学习 (fronts place as topic) is also fine.
    • 我们在学校每天学习 is possible but less natural; only use if you’re stressing the place first.
What exactly does 在 do here?
  • 在 introduces a location phrase (a coverb), meaning “at/in.”
  • The structure is “在 + location + [main verb],” so 在学校 modifies 学习.
  • As a main verb, 在 can also mean “to be located at”: 我们在学校 = “We are at school.”
Is 在 marking the progressive “be doing” here?
  • No. Progressive uses 在/正在/正 + Verb(+呢), e.g., 我们在学习呢 = “We’re studying (right now).”
  • In this sentence 在 is followed by a noun (学校), so it’s a location marker, not progressive. 每天 also signals a habitual action.
Do I need 都 after 每天? What’s the difference between “我们每天在学校学习” and “我们每天都在学校学习”?
  • 都 isn’t required. Both sentences are correct.
  • 每天都 emphasizes that the statement applies to each and every day. Without 都, it’s a plain habitual statement.
What’s the difference between 每天, 天天, and 每一天?
  • 每天: neutral “every day” (most common).
  • 天天: colloquial, often feels a bit more emphatic (“day in, day out”).
  • 每一天: more emphatic/formal than 每天, used for stress.
Can I move 每天 to different positions?
  • Best placements: after the subject (我们每天…) or sentence-initial (每天我们…).
  • 我们在学校每天学习 is less natural. If you want to highlight place first, use a pause/topic: 在学校，我们每天学习.
How do I say “at the school/at this school”? Do I need an article?
  • Chinese has no articles. Use context, demonstratives, or possessives.
  • For specificity: 在这所学校/在那所学校/在我的学校. Without a modifier, 在学校 can mean “at school (in general)” or “at the school” from context.
Why isn’t there a measure word before 学校 here? Should it be 一个学校?
  • No number/demonstrative = no classifier needed. 在学校 is fine.
  • The standard classifier for 学校 is 所: 一所学校, 这所学校.
  • Colloquially you will also hear 一个学校/这个学校, but 所 is preferred in careful speech/writing.
Does 学习 need an object? Can I say what I study?
  • 学习 can be intransitive (as here) or take an object: 学习中文/数学/法律.
  • With specific subjects, short 学 is also natural: 学中文. 学习 often sounds a bit more formal.
What’s the difference between 学习, 读书, and 上学?
  • 学习: to study/learn (the activity).
  • 读书: literally “read books”; colloquially also “to study/be in school” (e.g., 我在北京读书).
  • 上学: to attend/go to school (the act of going/enrolling), not the studying itself.
What does 们 do in 我们? Can I add 们 to any noun to make it plural?
  • 们 pluralizes pronouns (我 → 我们, 你 → 你们, 他/她 → 他们/她们).
  • With human nouns, 们 can refer to a specific group (学生们 = “the students [as a group]”).
  • Don’t attach 们 to inanimate nouns (*桌子们 is usually wrong).
Can I drop 我们 and just say “每天在学校学习”?
  • Yes, Chinese is pro-drop. If context makes the subject clear, 每天在学校学习 is natural.
How is tense shown here? Why is there no 了?
  • Chinese doesn’t mark tense like English. Habitual actions are shown with time words like 每天.
  • 了 isn’t used for habitual statements; it marks completion/change, not appropriate here.
Any pronunciation or tone tips for the sentence?
  • Pinyin/tones: wǒmen (3 + neutral), měitiān (3 + 1), zài (4), xuéxiào (2 + 4), xuéxí (2 + 2).
  • 们 is neutral tone. No third-tone sandhi issues here.
  • The “x” in xué/xiào is a hissy “sh” made with the tongue blade against the hard palate.
Can I add 里/里面 after 学校? What’s the nuance of 在学校里?
  • 在学校里/在学校里面 emphasizes “inside the school (premises).”
  • 在学校 is a neutral location phrase and is usually sufficient. Add 里 only if you need to stress “inside.”
How do I negate this, and what’s the difference between “not every day” vs “every day not at school”?
  • Not every day (scope on time): 我们不是每天在学校学习 (There are days when we don’t).
  • Every day not at school (scope on place): 我们每天不在学校学习 (We study elsewhere every day).
  • With emphasis: 我们每天都不在学校学习 = “We never study at school (we do it somewhere else daily).”
Why are there spaces between words here? Does Chinese normally use spaces?
  • Standard Chinese writing does not use spaces between words. Materials for learners often insert spaces to show word boundaries and aid reading.

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