Resultant Location: Verb + 在 zài

Use Verb + 在 zài + place to say where something ends up after an action: put it on the table, hang it on the door, sleep under the table. The location comes after the verb.

一 Object + V + 在 + Location

(Known Object) + Verb + 在 + Location

The object is usually something both speakers already know, so it often comes first as the topic (or is left out). About 85% of the time, this pattern is used with 把 bǎ, which we’ll see in the next lesson. Common verbs:

放 fàngput摆 bǎiplace挂 guàhang停 tíngpark写 xiěwrite脱 tuōtake off住 zhùlive睡 shuìsleep坐 zuòsit

请qǐng放fàng在zài桌子zhuōzi上shang

Please put it on the table.

鞋子xiézi脱tuō在zài门口ménkǒu就jiù好hǎo

You can just leave your shoes by the door.

书shū常常chángcháng摆bǎi在zài书架shūjià上shang

The books are usually kept on the bookshelf.

键盘jiànpán怎么zěnme会huì放fàng在zài椅子yǐzi上shang？

Why is the keyboard on the chair?

饭fàn放fàng在zài冰箱bīngxiāng里li，不然bùrán会huì坏huài

Put the food in the fridge, or it’ll go bad.

咖啡kāfēi已经yǐjīng放fàng在zài厨房chúfáng了le

The coffee has already been put in the kitchen.

Location wordsMost nouns need a location word after them to become a place: 桌子上 zhuōzi shang, 冰箱里 bīngxiāng li, 桌子底下 zhuōzi dǐxià. Without it, 冰箱 bīngxiāng (fridge) is just an object, not a location.

二 Person + V + 在 + Location

Person + Verb + 在 + Location

With verbs like 住 zhù, 睡 shuì, 坐 zuò, or 站 zhàn, it’s the person or animal that ends up in the place.

我wǒ的de狗gǒu喜欢xǐhuan睡shuì在zài桌子zhuōzi底下dǐxià

My dog likes to sleep under the table.

我wǒ住zhù在zài台北Táiběi

I live in Taipei.

他tā坐zuò在zài我wǒ旁边pángbiān

He’s sitting next to me.

三在 + Place + V vs. V + 在 + Place

Where 在 zài goes changes the meaning. 在 zài + place before the verb tells where the action happens. Verb + 在 zài + place tells where something ends up.

在 + place + V · where it happens

他tā在zài桌子zhuōzi上shang写字xiězì

He’s writing at the table. (The writing is on paper.)

V + 在 + place · where it ends up

他tā的de名字míngzi写xiě在zài桌子zhuōzi上shang

His name got written on the table. (The ink is on the table!)

四 Common Mistakes

❌ 請qǐng请qǐng放fàng桌子zhuōzi上shàng上shang在zài

✅ 請qǐng请qǐng放fàng在zài桌子zhuōzi上shàng上shang

在 zài comes right after the verb, before the place.

❌ 我wǒ寫xiě写xiě我wǒ的de名字míngzi在zài本子běnzi上shàng上shang

✅ 我wǒ的de名字míngzi寫xiě写xiě在zài本子běnzi上shàng上shang

Don’t follow English word order. The object can’t sit between the verb and 在 zài; put it first.

❌ 飯fàn饭fàn放fàng在zài冰箱bīngxiāng

✅ 飯fàn饭fàn放fàng在zài冰箱bīngxiāng裡lǐ里li

Add a location word like 裡 lǐ里 li to turn the noun into a place.

五 Practice

Tap the words below in the right order to build the sentence, then check your answer. If it’s wrong, you can try again as many times as you like, or hit “Show answer” if you get stuck. Careful: some tiles are traps and are not needed!

Question 1 of 10

“Please put it on the chair.”