正在 zhèng zài
“just at (that time); right in (that place); right in the middle of (doing sth)”
adverbHSK 2 · 2021 list level 1
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
正在 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 286: 正在 zhèngzài — Level 1; official annotation 1 (副). PDF page 87
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 正在
正在 means that an action is happening right at this moment. It is an adverb placed before the verb, often with 呢 at the end: 正在 + verb + (呢). Use it for actions in progress now, not for states or habits.
例句Example sentences
- 我正在吃饭。wǒ zhèng zài chī fàn.I am eating right now.
- 妈妈正在打电话。mā ma zhèng zài dǎ diàn huà.Mom is on the phone right now.
- 他们正在上课。tā men zhèng zài shàng kè.They are in class right now.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗我吃饭正在。
✓我正在吃饭。
正在 is an adverb and must come before the verb, not after it.
-
✗我正在是学生。
✓我是学生。
正在 describes ongoing actions, not states; do not use it with 是.