Actions in progress: 正在 / 在 …(呢)
动作的态 / aspect (进行)
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
Subject + 正在 / 在 + Verb (+ 呢)
To say an action is in progress, put 在 or 正在 before the verb, often with 呢 at the end: 我正在开会呢 (I'm in a meeting right now).
正在 stresses the exact moment ("right now, just when…"). 在 is more neutral. 呢 alone at the end also works in speech: 他打电话呢.
Negative: 没(在) + verb: 我没在工作 (I'm not working).
Examples
王经理正在开会呢。
Wáng jīnglǐ zhèngzài kāihuì ne.Manager Wang is in a meeting right now.
你在做什么？我在写报告。
Nǐ zài zuò shénme? Wǒ zài xiě bàogào.What are you doing? I'm writing a report.
你来的时候，我正在打电话。
Nǐ lái de shíhou, wǒ zhèngzài dǎ diànhuà.When you came, I was on the phone.
他没在工作，他在休息。
Tā méi zài gōngzuò, tā zài xiūxi.He's not working, he's taking a break.
Common mistakes
✗ 我正在开会了 → ✓ 我正在开会呢 (了 doesn't go with 正在).
✗ 我不在工作 → ✓ 我没在工作 (negate with 没).