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jìnxíng tài
Progressive aspect (进行态)
To say an action is happening right now, put 在 or 正在 before the verb. Adding 呢 at the end makes it feel more natural in speech. Think of it as the Chinese '-ing' — but placed before the verb, not after.
Exemple de référence
妈妈，别进来！我正在换衣服呢！
Māma, bié jìn lái! Wǒ zhèngzài huàn yīfu ne!
Mom, don't come in! I'm changing clothes right now!
HSK 1
HSK 1
3
3 structures
10
10 exercices
Résumé de la leçon
Formula: Subject + 在/正在 + verb (+ 呢). Meaning: the action is happening right now. Key usage: 在 = currently doing; 正在 = doing at this very moment (more emphasis); 呢 at sentence end = ongoing (colloquial). Use any one or combine them. Model sentence: 妈妈正在做饭呢，别打扰她。 Never put 在 after the verb.
The progressive aspect (进行态) expresses an action that is currently in progress. There are three main markers:
1. 在 before the verb (most common at HSK 1): 我在看书 (I am reading). 2. 正在 before the verb (stronger emphasis — happening right at this moment): 外边正在下雨 (It is raining outside right now). 3. 呢 at the sentence end (signals the action is ongoing, often used alone or with 在): 我洗衣服呢 (I'm washing clothes). 他们开会呢 (They're in a meeting).
You can combine markers for more emphasis: 我正在看书呢. But you do not need all of them — 我在看书, 我看书呢, and 我正在看书 all communicate the same progressive meaning.
Important: 在 as a progressive marker comes BEFORE the verb. Do NOT confuse it with 在 as a location word (在学校 = at school). Context tells you which function it serves.
When NOT to use 进行态: do not add 正在 or 在 for habitual actions (我每天看书 = I read every day — no 在). Do not use it for completed or future actions.
Negation: use 没(有) to negate — saying the action is not currently happening: 他没在看书 (He is not reading). You can also use 不 for 'I don't do this': 我不洗衣服 (I don't wash clothes — general refusal), but for 'not currently doing', 没 is more natural.
Structure grammaticale
Subject + 在 + verb (+ object) — action in progress
The action is currently happening.
孩子在睡觉。
Háizi zài shuìjiào.
The child is sleeping.
老师在上课，请小声说话。
Lǎoshī zài shàngkè, qǐng xiǎoshēng shuōhuà.
The teacher is giving class — please speak quietly.
在 marks an action in progress right now, not habitual actions. For habits, no 在 is needed.
Do not combine 正在 (progressive) with sentence-final 了 (change of state). They express different things and conflict. Use one or the other.
Complétez la phrase :
Structure grammaticale
Subject + 正在 + verb (+ object) — action happening right now (emphasis)
Emphasizes the action is happening at this exact moment.
外边正在下雨。
Wàibian zhèngzài xiàyǔ.
It is raining outside right now.
Structure grammaticale
Subject + verb (+ object) + 呢 — ongoing action (colloquial)
呢 at the end signals the action is currently in progress. Common in spoken Chinese.
我洗衣服呢。
Wǒ xǐ yīfu ne.
I am washing clothes.
他们在开会呢，不能接电话。
Tāmen zài kāihuì ne, bù néng jiē diànhuà.
They're in a meeting right now — they can't answer the phone.
在 must come BEFORE the verb, never after. Chinese progressive markers precede the verb, unlike English '-ing' which follows the verb.