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plCommon errors
The adverb 还/還 has multiple functions. This entry is on 还/還:
Expressing ‘also; in addition’
Expressing ‘still’
1. Incorrect position
1.1 Learners might negate 还/還 directly by placing the negation adverb in front of 还/還. 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/還 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/還 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/還 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/還 with 也
Both the adverbs 还/還 and 也 translate into ‘also’ and learners might have troubles deciding when to use 还.
Learning tip
Set up different situations to make sure the learners understand when you can use both 还/還 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/還 as ‘also not’
Using 还/還 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。