You text a friend to see if they're free, and they reply with a photo of their lunch. You want to ask what they're doing — in Mandarin, that means putting 在 (zài) directly before the verb to show the action is happening right now.
The structure is simple: Subject + 在 + Verb. Place 在 directly before any action verb to indicate it is ongoing — like adding "-ing" in English, except the marker goes in front of the verb, not after it. For example, 他在吃饭 (tā zài chīfàn) means "He is eating," and 你在做什么？(nǐ zài zuò shénme?) means "What are you doing?"
Once you know this pattern, you can describe what you or someone else is doing right now and ask a friend what they are currently doing — two everyday conversational moves.
This HSK 1 speaking lesson focuses on exactly one grammar pattern and takes about 10 minutes. You talk out loud with AI teacher Mei Lin in real time — no typing. Mei Lin asks you questions using 在 + Verb, listens to your responses, and corrects your grammar and pronunciation in the flow of conversation. She adapts to your level, so if you stumble she rephrases and gives you another chance.
By the end you'll have practiced both sides of the pattern: describing what someone is doing and asking what someone is doing. You can try the first lesson free.
When you're ready for more, the HSK 1 lessons hub page lists every beginner live lesson. You might continue with another HSK 1 live lesson on wanting and planning with 要 (yào) or move on to the next lesson on completed actions with 了 (le). To reinforce the characters from this lesson on paper, try the free printable Chinese worksheet generator.
在 (zài) + Verb expresses Actions in Progress — something happening right now. You place 在 directly before the verb, so 他在吃饭 (tā zài chīfàn) means "He is eating." It works like the English "-ing" ending, but the marker goes in front of the verb instead of after it.
Say 你在做什么？(nǐ zài zuò shénme?), which breaks down as "you + 在 + do + what." This is the key sentence in the What Are You Doing? lesson — Mei Lin will ask you this and expect you to answer with your own 在 + Verb phrase.
Yes. This live conversation lesson is entirely voice-based. You talk with Mei Lin in real time, and she corrects your grammar and pronunciation as you use 在 + Verb to describe actions in progress. The lesson takes about 10 minutes and targets this one pattern.
After mastering 在 + Verb, you can move on to the lesson on 了 (le) for completed actions, or review 要 (yào) for expressing wants and plans. Both are HSK 1 grammar points available as live conversation lessons on the site.