How to use the aspectual particles 着 (zhe) and 在 (zài) in Mandarin Chinese?

In this post, we’re going to look at the aspectual particle 着 (zhe). In addition, we will also look at 着 (zhe) in comparison with 在 (zài), as both 着 (zhe) and 在 (zài) mark continuation in Mandarin.

Aspectual particles are used to express the state of an action (e.g., if it has been completed or it is still in progress). We introduce the concept of aspectual particles in our post on 过 (guo) and 了 (le) in Mandarin. As a reminder, 过 (guo) marks a past experience, and 了 (le) marks the completion of an action. Whether 在 (zài) is an aspectual particle is debatable, but it is a word that learners can confuse a lot with 着 (zhe), so it will be useful to discuss both of them together in this post.

So, here we go! Let’s consider the following two examples:

Although we would translate both examples as “He is singing,” these two examples are used in very different contexts. The first example is something you’d say when someone asks, “What is he doing?” And 在 (zài) emphasizes the action in progress. However, the second example is usually accompanied by another action. For example:

In general, 着 (zhe) is commonly used with non-action verbsNo definition set for non-action verbsLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. to mark the continuous state but, when it is used with an action verbNo definition set for action verbLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum., like in this case, it indicates a state and is usually accompanied by another verb. In this example, it means the first action (i.e., singing) continues as the second action (i.e., walking towards me) is happening. Sounds interesting? Let’s dive in!

着 (zhe) is an aspectual particle that marks a continuous state or action. Just like 过 (guo), 着 (zhe) also goes right after a verbNo definition set for verbLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.. Now, let’s talk about three of the common uses of 着 (zhe):

• with non-action verbs,

• simultaneous actions, and

• existence.

The use of 在 (zài) is a lot more straightforward. It can be easily thought of as the verb +ing form in English. Unlike other aspectual particles, 在 (zài) goes right before a verb. For example:

Sometimes in a affirmative sentence, 在 (zài) is also used as 正在 (zhèngzài) which is more formal than 在 (zài). As for negation, 正在 (zhèngzài) is not used. We add 没 (méi, not) or 不 (bù, not) before the auxiliary verb 在 (zài). 没 (méi, not) is more commonly used, though.

You may also want to read how to express ongoing actions with 呢 (ne).

So far, we have learned that 着 and 在 have different functions and work with different types of verbs, as summarized in the table below.

Depending on the nature of the verbs, sometimes 着 (zhe) and 在 (zài) can get you very different meanings. For verbs that have both action and non-action readings, they receive an action reading with 在 (zài) but a non-action reading with 着 (zhe). Here are some examples:

In Mandarin, 穿 (chuān, wear) can be an action verb meaning “to put on” or a non-action verb meaning “to wear.” When it is used with 着 (zhe), it receives a non-action reading, i.e. to wear, but when used with 在 (zài), it receives an action reading meaning "to put on."

Same goes for the verb 拿 (ná, to take). When is is used with 着 (zhe), it receives a non-action reading (i.e. to hold) but, when used with 在 (zài), it receives an action reading meaning "to take."

In this and our other post we discussed four major aspectual particles in Mandarin: 了 (le) for completion, 过 (guo) for experience, 着 (zhe) for continuation, and 在 (zài) for progression. Remember that these aspectual particles mark the state of an action. 着 (zhe) commonly works with non-action verbs; however, when it is used with an action verb, it indicates a state and is usually accompanied by another action, as a way to express simultaneous action. 在 (zài), on the other hand, only works with action verbs. Now, let's check out our exercises to practice using 着 (zhe) and 在 (zài) to put your knowledge to work!