在 vs 着: what is the difference?
在 goes before the verb and shows an action going on now: 他在看书. 着 goes after the verb and shows a state that stays: 墙上挂着画。
| Word | Pinyin | What it does | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 在 | zài | Goes before a verb to show that an action is going on right now. | Subject + 在 + Verb (+ Object) |
| 着 | zhe | Shows the result of an action stays on as a state. | Verb + 着 (+ object) |
在 (zài)
Goes before a verb to show that an action is going on right now.
Structure: Subject + 在 + Verb (+ Object)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 妈妈在做饭。 | Mā ma zài zuò fàn. | Mum is cooking. |
| 孩子们在院子里玩儿。 | Hái zi men zài yuàn zi lǐ wánr. | The children are playing in the yard. |
| 外面在下大雨。 | Wài miàn zài xià dà yǔ. | It is raining hard outside. |
Not: 他看在书。 The progressive 在 goes before the verb: 他在看书。
着 (zhe)
Shows the result of an action stays on as a state.
Structure: Verb + 着 (+ object)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 她抱着一只小猫。 | Tā bào zhe yì zhī xiǎo māo. | She is holding a small cat. |
| 他躺着看手机。 | Tā tǎng zhe kàn shǒu jī. | He lies there looking at his phone. |
| 孩子们笑着跑进了教室。 | Hái zi men xiào zhe pǎo jìn le jiào shì. | The children ran into the classroom laughing. |
Not: 他穿着了红衣服。 着 and 了 do not go together: 他穿着红衣服.
Where this comes from
The comparison is part of Continuous State 着: Persistent Action or State (HSK 2) in the grammar reference, which has the full explanation, more worked examples, and what to learn before and after it.
More pairs: 在 vs 有 · 次 vs 遍 · 刚 vs 刚才 · 更 vs 还 · 还 vs 已经 · 看见 vs 看到 · 可以 vs 能 · 吗 vs 吧 · 吗 vs 是不是 · 如果 vs 只要 · 上去 vs 上来 · 往 vs 向 · all 81 pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 在 and 着?
在 goes before the verb and shows an action going on now: 他在看书. 着 goes after the verb and shows a state that stays: 墙上挂着画。
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