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plCommon errors
The adverb 还has multiple functions. This entry is on 还:
Expressing ‘also; in addition’
Expressing ‘still’
1. Incorrect position
1.1 Learners might negate 还 directly by placing the negation adverb in front of 还. However, it is the action or situation that is negated, so the negation adverb should be placed in front of the verb:
*他们没还来。
他们还没来。
*他們沒還來。
他們還沒來。
*孩子不还睡觉。
孩子还不睡觉。
*孩子不還睡覺。
孩子還不睡覺。
1.2 Learners might mistakenly place 还 before the subject.
*我要喝咖啡, 还我要喝水。
我要喝咖啡, 我还要喝水。
*我要喝咖啡, 還我要喝水。
我要喝咖啡, 我還要喝水。
1.3 Learners might mistakenly place 还 directly in front the verb in a sentence with a prepositional phrase:
*他们在中国还工作。
他们还在中国工作。
*他們在中國還工作。
他們還在中國工作。
1.4 Learners might place 还 after the aspect marker 在:
*他们在还吃饭。
他们还在吃饭。
*他們在還吃飯。
他們還在吃飯。
2. Confusing 还 with 也
Both the adverbs 还 and 也 translate into ‘also’ and learners might have troubles decide when to use 还.
Learning tip
Set up different situations to make sure the learners understand when you can use both 还 and 也, and when you can use only 也.
The same subject does multiple actions or has multiple qualities:
我会说英语，(我) 还会说汉语。
我会说英语，(我) 也会说汉语。
我會說英語，(我) 還會說漢語。
我會說英語，(我) 也會說漢語。
Two subjects share the same action or trait:
*我会说英语，她还会说英语。
我会说英语，她也会说英语。
*我會說英語，她還會說英語。
我會說英語，她也會說英語。
3. Using 还 as ‘also not’.
Using 还 with a negation adverb often conveys a deeper implication, such as adding to a negative situation or expressing complaint, disappointment, or escalation. In a neutral context 也 would be the common choice:
我不会说英语，(我) 也不会说汉语。
我不會說英語，(我) 也不會說漢語。
While syntactically correct, the same sentence with 还/還 have a different connotation.
我不会说英语，(我)还不会说汉语。
我不會說英語，(我)還不會說漢語。
4. Forgetting the progressive aspect marker 在
还/還 can indicate a continuous action, that something is ‘still going on’. In these sentences the progressive aspect marker 在, used to indicate that an action is in progress, is usually included. Without 在 to show the action is unfolding, the sentences might sound incomplete.
学生还看书。
学生还在看书。
我还学中文。
我还在学中文。
學生還看書。
學生還在看書。
我還學中文。
我還在學中文。
5. Uncertainty about how to negate a sentence with 还/還
Learners might be confused by the different connotations of negating a sentence with ‘不’ or ‘没/沒’.
‘还没/還沒’ is the most common and neutral way to negate 还/還’. It indicates that someone ‘still has not’ or ‘not yet’ done something. It suggests an expectation or potential future change.
工作很忙, 我还没吃饭。
工作很忙, 我還沒吃飯。
还不/還不 indicates that someone ‘still will not’ or ‘still does not’ do something. It carries a tone of persistent refusal or unwillingness. It is less neutral than 还没/還沒 and often expresses the speaker’s frustration, surprise, or criticism.
他可能生病了，怎么还不吃饭？
他可能生病了，怎麼還不吃飯？
L1 inference error
Both ‘还/還’ and ‘也’ translates into ‘also’, which can easily lead learners to uncertainty about when to use which word.
The following two sentences are both grammatically acceptable but have a different semantic focus.
我会说英语，(我)还会说汉语。
我会说英语，(我)也会说汉语。
我會說英語，(我)還會說漢語。
我會說英語，(我)也會說漢語。
我会说英语，(我)还会说汉语。
我會說英語，(我)還會說漢語。
Contrary to 还/還, 也 can indicate sameness or simple addition, without implying any prior expectation.
我会说英语，(我)也会说汉语。
我會說英語，(我)也會說漢語。