A video on Zai (在)/Bu zai (不在)
English places locational phrases differently from Chinese. In English, “I work in the library;” however, in Chinese, it will be expressed differently. To say “I work in the libary” in Chinese, Chinese say “我在图书馆工作。” (Subject+Location Phrase+ V(O): Literally, “I at library work.”)
Here is the special Chinese grammar English speakers need to pay special attention to:
在 + Location Word + V (O)
Example 1:
我在图书馆工作。 I work in the library
Wǒ zài túshū guǎn gōngzuò
(Subject +zai + Location Word+ Verb)
Vocabulary for this sentence:
ID | Chinese | Trad. | Pinyin | English Definition | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ID | Chinese | Trad. | Pinyin | English Definition | ||
1 | 我 | 我 | wǒ | I; me; my | ||
2 | 在 | 在 | zài | (located) at; (to be) in; to exist | ||
3 | 图书馆 | 圖書館 | tú shūguǎn | library; Classifiers: 家 | ||
4 | 工作 | 工作 | gōngzuò | v. to work; n. work; task; Classifiers: 个 |
Example 2
我喜欢在家吃饭,我不喜欢去饭馆吃饭。
Wǒ xǐhuān zài jiā chīfàn, wǒ bù xǐhuān qù fànguǎn chīfàn.
I like to eat at home, I don’t like eat out.
ID | Chinese | Trad. | Pinyin | English Definition | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ID | Chinese | Trad. | Pinyin | English Definition | ||
1 | 我 | 我 | wǒ | I; me; my | ||
2 | 喜欢 | 喜歡 | xǐ huan | to like | ||
3 | 在家 | 在家 | zài jiā | at home | ||
4 | 吃饭 | 吃飯 | chī fàn | to eat | ||
5 | 不 | 不 | bù | (negative prefix); not; no | ||
6 | 去 | 去 | qù | to go | ||
7 | 饭馆 | 飯館 | fàn guǎn | restaurant; Classifiers: 家 |
More Examples:
A: Where do you work?
你在哪儿工作?
Nǐ zài nǎ’er gōngzuò?
B: I work at Starbucks.
我在星巴克工作。
Wǒ zài xīngbākè gōngzuò.
A: May I speak to Mr. Wang?(In Chinese, it would be expressed as “Is Mr. Wang in?”
请问王先生在吗? / 请问王先生在不在?
Qǐngwèn wáng xiānshēng zài ma?/Qǐngwèn wáng xiānshēng zài bùzài?
Response 1:
This is he speaking. Who is speaking please? [Literally, I exactly am. May [I] ask is which one?]
我就是。请问是哪位?
Wǒ jiùshì. Qǐngwèn shì nǎ wèi?
Response 2:
Sorry, Mr. Wang is not here. [Literally, Mr. Wang is not in.]
对不起,王先生不在。
Duìbùqǐ, wáng xiānshēng bùzài.
ID | Chinese | Trad. | Pinyin | English Definition | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ID | Chinese | Trad. | Pinyin | English Definition | ||
1 | 你 | 你 | nǐ | you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您 ) | ||
2 | 在 | 在 | zài | (located) at; (to be) in; to exist | ||
3 | 哪儿 | 哪兒 | nǎ r | where | ||
4 | 工作 | 工作 | gōngzuò | to work; job; work; task; Classifiers: 个 | ||
5 | 我 | 我 | wǒ | I | ||
6 | 星巴克 | 星巴克 | xīng bākè | Starbucks, | ||
7 | 请问 | 請問 | qǐng wèn | Excuse me, may I ask…? | ||
8 | 王 | 王 | wáng | surname Wang | ||
9 | 先生 | 先生 | xiānsheng | Classifiers: 位 ; Mister (Mr.) | ||
10 | 吗 | 嗎 | mǎ | a question particle | ||
11 | 就是 | 就是 | jiù shì | precisely; exactly | ||
12 | 是 | 是 | shì | is; are; am | ||
13 | 哪位 | 哪位 | nǎ wèi | which one;
位 –a polite measure word for persons |
||
14 | 对不起 | 對不起 | duì bu qǐ | Sorry | ||
15 | 他 | 他 | tā | he or him; | ||
16 | 不在 | 不在 | bù zài | not to be present; to be out; not here |