Ongoing Aspect 緊
Actions in progress
I can describe ongoing actions.
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
我睇緊電視。
I'm watching TV.
等陣，我做緊嘢。
Wait, I'm doing something.
你喺度做緊咩？
What are you doing?
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
緊 gan2 — Ongoing Aspect
Place 緊 directly AFTER the verb to indicate the action is happening now:
S + V + 緊 + O
我食緊飯。(I'm eating rice right now.)
Negation: 唔係 + V + 緊
我唔係食緊飯。(I'm not eating rice right now.)
Putting 緊 before verb (Mandarin 在 position).
我睇緊電視。
I'm watching TV.
緊 after 睇 (watch) = watching right now. Progressive aspect.
等陣，我做緊嘢。
Wait, I'm doing something.
做緊嘢 = doing something (in progress). 等陣 = wait a moment.
你喺度做緊咩？
What are you doing?
做緊 = doing (ongoing). 咩 = what. Common casual question.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises