Learn Hardcore Chinese: zǎoshang wǒ zài jiā hē chá.

Here 在 introduces the location (在家 = at home). It is not the progressive marker. To express “be doing,” put 正在 (or adverbial 在) before the verb: 我在家正在喝茶。 You’ll also hear 我在家喝茶呢 for “I’m drinking tea (now).”

Why isn’t 是 used (e.g., 我是…)? Don’t we need “to be”?

Chinese doesn’t use 是 before prepositional phrases like 在家. The predicate is the whole verb phrase 在家喝茶. Use 是…的 only to emphasize details of an action, often a past event or a characteristic: 我是早上在家喝茶的 (focusing on time/place of the action or describing a habit).

Does this mean a specific event or a habit? Do I need 了?

Without aspect marking, it can be a general statement or a habit. To mark a specific completed event, add 了 and usually a specific time:

Habit/general: 早上我在家喝茶。
Specific past: 我今天早上在家喝了茶。

Should I say 在早上?

Normally no. With time-of-day words like 早上/上午/晚上, Chinese usually omits 在:

Natural: 早上我在家喝茶。
Over-formal in speech: 在早上我在家喝茶。

How is 早上 pronounced? Is the second syllable neutral?

早上 is commonly pronounced zǎoshang with a neutral tone on shang. In some regions you may hear zǎoshàng (fourth tone on 上). Both are understood; the neutral tone is standard in Mainland usage.

What’s the difference between 早上, 早晨, and 上午?

早上: everyday word for “morning,” broad range.
早晨: “early morning,” a bit more literary or regional.
上午: “morning” (roughly 8–12), more formal/scheduling contexts.
All overlap; context usually makes them interchangeable.

Is a comma after 早上 required?

No. You may see 早上，我在家喝茶。 to show a pause, but 早上我在家喝茶。 is equally correct. It’s a stylistic choice.

What’s the difference between 在家 and 在家里?

Both mean “at home.” 在家里 explicitly says “inside the home,” but in most contexts 在家 and 在家里 are interchangeable.

Do I need to say 我的家? Should it be 我在我的家?

For “at home (my own),” just say 在家. To contrast with someone else’s home, say 在我家. 在我的家 is grammatical but less natural in everyday speech.

Do I need a measure word for 茶? How do I say “a cup of tea”?

Mass nouns like 茶 don’t need a measure word in general statements. For a specific amount, add a classifier:

一杯茶 (a cup of tea)
我在家喝一杯茶。 You can also say 喝杯茶 (omit the numeral).

Where do adverbs like 也, 都, 常常, 每天 go in this sentence?

也/都 go after the subject: 我早上在家也喝茶。/ 我每天早上都在家喝茶。
Frequency words like 常常/经常 typically go before the verb phrase, usually after time: 我早上常常在家喝茶。
With 每天: 我每天早上在家喝茶。

Can I drop the subject 我?

Yes, if it’s clear from context. 早上在家喝茶。 is fine in a conversation where the subject is understood.

How do I negate this, and what changes in meaning?

General/habitual negation with 不:
- 我早上不在家喝茶。 (I don’t drink tea at home in the morning.)
- 我早上在家不喝茶。 (At home in the morning, I don’t drink tea—maybe I drink coffee.)
Past/experience negation with 没(有):
- 我今天早上没在家喝茶。
- 我今天早上没喝茶。

How do I say “this morning” or “tomorrow morning”?

今天早上 = this morning
明天早上 = tomorrow morning
For a slightly later window, you can use 今天上午/明天上午.

Where does the place phrase go? Can I put 在家 after the verb?

Place phrases with 在 normally come before the verb:

Natural: 我在家喝茶。
Unnatural: 我喝在家茶。 (Don’t do this.)

How can I say I’m with someone? Where does 跟 go?

Use 跟 before the companion:

我早上在家跟朋友喝茶。
Order: Subject + Time + Place + 跟 + Person + Verb + Object.

Can I use 呢 to show the action is ongoing?

Yes. Sentence-final 呢 marks an ongoing or backgrounded action:

我在家喝茶呢。 (I’m drinking tea at home [now].)
If it’s currently morning, you can keep 早上: 早上我在家喝茶呢。

Why are there no articles like “a/the” before 茶?

Chinese has no articles. 茶 is understood generically unless you specify a quantity (一杯茶) or make it definite through context.

Should I ever use 吃 with 茶?

Use 喝 for beverages. 吃茶 exists historically or in some dialects, but in standard modern Mandarin you say 喝茶.