How to say 在

  • Traditional characters: 在
  • Pinyin (Taiwan standard): zài
  • Zhuyin (bopomofo): ㄗㄞˋ
  • Meaning: at / in (marks where someone or something is)

Hear it in a Taiwan accent:

在 in example sentences

Real lines from CiaoSpeak’s graded stories, each with pinyin, an English translation and Taiwan-accent audio.

中暑？我在美國，夏天每天都去公園啊。

zhòng shǔ wǒ zài Měi guó xià tiān měi tiān dōu qù gōng yuán a

Heatstroke? Back in the States I went to the park every day in summer.

From the story 三十六度 (Thirty-Six Degrees)

在家開冷氣，或是去超商吹冷氣。

zài jiā kāi lěng qì huò shì qù chāo shāng chuī lěng qì

Stay home with the AC on. Or go to a convenience store and stand in theirs.

From the story 三十六度 (Thirty-Six Degrees)

我到了！你在哪裡？我在郵局對面。

wǒ dào le nǐ zài nǎ lǐ wǒ zài yóu jú duì miàn

(texting) I'm here! Where are you? I'm across from the post office.

From the story 哪一家郵局？ (Which Post Office?)

我也在郵局對面啊。可是我沒看到你。

wǒ yě zài yóu jú duì miàn a kě shì wǒ méi kàn dào nǐ

I'm across from the post office too. But I don't see you.

From the story 哪一家郵局？ (Which Post Office?)

我穿藍色外套，站在公車站旁邊。

wǒ chuān lán sè wài tào zhàn zài gōng chē zhàn páng biān

Blue jacket, standing next to the bus stop.

From the story 哪一家郵局？ (Which Post Office?)

Where 在 is taught

  • Unit level: TOCFL Novice 2 (CiaoSpeak’s placement, not the official TOCFL word list)
  • Unit: Sentence Basics
  • Lesson: Where, Or, Also
  • Taught just before: 我去了
  • Taught just after: 還是