Progressive Action: 正在…(呢) — Right Now

Chinese grammar · HSK 2 · 进行体 · By Carson 木林森

正在 (zhèngzài) + Verb (+呢) emphasizes an action happening right now, more precise than plain 在 + Verb. The sentence-final 呢 is optional but common in speech, adding a sense of 'ongoing-ness'.

正在 zhèng zài just at (that time) 呢 ne particle indicating that a previously asked…

Structure: Subject + 正在 + Verb (+ Object) + 呢

我正在吃饭呢。(I'm eating right now.)
她正在打电话。(She's on the phone right now — 呢 can be dropped.)

Question form: 你正在做什么(呢)？ — the natural way to ask what someone is doing right now.

Worked examples

Chinese	Pinyin	English	What it shows
我正在看书呢。	Wǒ zhèng zài kàn shū ne.	I'm reading a book right now.	Minimal 正在+Verb+呢 frame.
他正在打电话，你等一下。	Tā zhèng zài dǎ diàn huà, nǐ děng yī xià.	He's on the phone right now, please wait a moment.	呢 dropped; adds a follow-up instruction clause.
你正在做什么呢？——我正在写作业呢。	Nǐ zhèng zài zuò shén me ne? — Wǒ zhèng zài xiě zuò yè ne.	What are you doing right now? — I'm doing homework right now.	Question-answer pair using 正在…呢 in both the question and the reply.

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