在
zài
Indicating location with "zai" before verbs
Where something happens goes before the verb, not after it — the reverse of English.
Subj. + 在 + Place + Verb
How it works
我在上海工作 is "I work in Shanghai". English tacks the place onto the end; Chinese states the place first and then says what happens there.
This is one of the highest-value word-order rules at HSK 1, because English speakers get it wrong constantly. 我工作在上海 is wrong.
A few verbs of putting and residing do take 在 afterwards (住在北京, 放在这里), which is treated as a separate point at HSK 2.
Examples
wǒ zài shàng hǎi gōng zuò
我在上海工作。
I work in Shanghai.
wǒ men zài jiā chī fàn
我们在家吃饭。
We eat at home.
tā zài tú shū guǎn kàn shū
他在图书馆看书。
He reads at the library.
Common mistakes
- 我吃饭在家 is wrong — 在家 goes in front of 吃饭.