For autodidact students of Mandarin, 现在 (xiànzài) — "now" — is the word that fixes a sentence in the present. English does this partly with verb endings (he works, he is working); Mandarin verbs never change their form, so the time of an event is carried by words around the verb. 现在 is the most important of them: 我现在很忙 (I now very busy = I am busy now). Put 现在 in a sentence and the reader knows at once that the statement is about this moment.
现在 is a time word, and it behaves like one. It can open a sentence (现在我们可以走了, Now we can leave) or sit between the subject and the verb (我们现在可以走了). It never comes after the verb phrase. It can also stand as a noun: 现在是三点 (Now is three o'clock = It is three o'clock), 从现在开始 (from now on), 到现在 (until now), 现在的孩子 (today's children).
Two small words are often confused with it. 正在 (zhèngzài) marks an action in progress and is not a time word at all; 现在 names the moment. 刚才 (gāngcái) means "just now" in the sense of "a moment ago", and it belongs to the past: English "I just now saw him" is 我刚才看见他, never 我现在看见他.
Key Takeaways: - 现在 (xiànzài): now, at present — a time word, fixed in the present - Position: before the verb, after the subject or at the start of the sentence; never after the verb phrase - As a noun: 现在是三点; 从现在开始 (from now on); 到现在 (until now) - Before a noun it needs 的: 现在的孩子 (today's children) - 现在 + 了 marks a change: 现在下雨了 (it is raining now — it was not before) - 现在 (now) ≠ 正在 (in the middle of doing) ≠ 刚才 (just now, a moment ago)
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现在 is two characters of eight strokes and six strokes. 现 (xiàn) is built from 王 on the left and 见 (jiàn, to see) on the right; the traditional form is 現, with 見. The sense of the character is "to appear, to be in view, to be actual": it is the same 现 that stands in 出现 (chūxiàn, to appear), 现实 (xiànshí, reality), 现代 (xiàndài, modern times) and 现金 (xiànjīn, cash — money that is actually in hand). 在 (zài) means "to be at, to exist, to be present". Together they say what the word means: what has appeared and is there.
Do not mistake 在 for 再 (zài, again). They sound the same and are written differently: 在 has 土 (earth) at the foot with a stroke sweeping across the top, while 再 has a horizontal bar over a box. Learn the two shapes together. 现在 (now) and 再见 (zàijiàn, goodbye — "see again") are the two words in which learners most often swap them.
Words built on 现: 现代 (xiàndài, modern), 现实 (xiànshí, reality), 现金 (xiànjīn, cash), 出现 (chūxiàn, to appear), 表现 (biǎoxiàn, to show / performance), 实现 (shíxiàn, to realise, to bring about).
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51.1a 现在 now 几 how-many 点 o'clock
51.1b (xiànzài) now (jǐ) how-many (diǎn) o'clock
51.2a 我 I 现在 now 很 very 忙 busy
51.2b (wǒ) I (xiànzài) now (hěn) very (máng) busy
51.3a 现在 now 是 is 三 three 点 o'clock
51.3b (xiànzài) now (shì) is (sān) three (diǎn) o'clock
51.4a 他 he 现在 now 在 at 家 home
51.4b (tā) he (xiànzài) now (zài) at (jiā) home
51.5a 现在 now 下 fall 雨 rain 了 CRS
51.5b (xiànzài) now (xià) fall (yǔ) rain (le) CRS
51.6a 你 you 现在 now 想 want-to 吃 eat 什么 what
51.6b (nǐ) you (xiànzài) now (xiǎng) want-to (chī) eat (shénme) what
51.7a 现在 now 我们 we 可以 can 走 leave 了 CRS
51.7b (xiànzài) now (wǒmen) we (kěyǐ) can (zǒu) leave (le) CRS
51.8a 我 I 现在 now 不 not 想 want-to 说话 speak
51.8b (wǒ) I (xiànzài) now (bù) not (xiǎng) want-to (shuōhuà) speak
51.9a 她 she 现在 now 在 PROG 学 study 中文 Chinese
51.9b (tā) she (xiànzài) now (zài) PROG (xué) study (Zhōngwén) Chinese
51.10a 现在 now 的 DE 孩子 children 都 all 有 have 手机 mobile-phone
51.10b (xiànzài) now (de) DE (háizi) children (dōu) all (yǒu) have (shǒujī) mobile-phone
51.11a 我们 we 现在 now 就 right-away 去 go 吧 SUG
51.11b (wǒmen) we (xiànzài) now (jiù) right-away (qù) go (ba) SUG
51.12a 现在 now 不 not 说 say 以后 later 就 then 没有 not-have 机会 chance 了 CRS
51.12b (xiànzài) now (bù) not (shuō) say (yǐhòu) later (jiù) then (méiyǒu) not-have (jīhuì) chance (le) CRS
51.13a 从 from 现在 now 开始 begin 我 I 每天 every-day 学 learn 十 ten 个 CL 词 words
51.13b (cóng) from (xiànzài) now (kāishǐ) begin (wǒ) I (měitiān) every-day (xué) learn (shí) ten (gè) CL (cí) words
51.14a 现在 now 的 DE 我 I 和 with 十 ten 年 year 前 before 的 DE 我 I 不 not 一样 same
51.14b (xiànzài) now (de) DE (wǒ) I (hé) with (shí) ten (nián) year (qián) before (de) DE (wǒ) I (bù) not (yīyàng) same
51.15a 过去 past 已经 already 过去 pass 了 CRS 未来 future 还 still 没有 not-have 来 come 只有 only 现在 now 是 is 真 real 的 DE
51.15b (guòqù) past (yǐjīng) already (guòqù) pass (le) CRS (wèilái) future (hái) still (méiyǒu) not-have (lái) come (zhǐyǒu) only (xiànzài) now (shì) is (zhēn) real (de) DE
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51.1 现在几点？ "What time is it now?"
51.2 我现在很忙。 "I am very busy now."
51.3 现在是三点。 "It is three o'clock."
51.4 他现在在家。 "He is at home now."
51.5 现在下雨了。 "It is raining now." (It was not before.)
51.6 你现在想吃什么？ "What do you feel like eating now?"
51.7 现在我们可以走了。 "Now we can go."
51.8 我现在不想说话。 "I don't feel like talking right now."
51.9 她现在在学中文。 "She is studying Chinese at the moment."
51.10 现在的孩子都有手机。 "Children today all have mobile phones."
51.11 我们现在就去吧。 "Let's go right now."
51.12 现在不说，以后就没有机会了。 "If you don't say it now, you will have no chance later."
51.13 从现在开始，我每天学十个词。 "From now on, I will learn ten words every day."
51.14 现在的我，和十年前的我不一样。 "The me of today is not the same as the me of ten years ago."
51.15 过去已经过去了，未来还没有来，只有现在是真的。 "The past has already passed, the future has not yet come; only the present is real."
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51.1 现在几点？ 51.2 我现在很忙。 51.3 现在是三点。 51.4 他现在在家。 51.5 现在下雨了。 51.6 你现在想吃什么？ 51.7 现在我们可以走了。 51.8 我现在不想说话。 51.9 她现在在学中文。 51.10 现在的孩子都有手机。 51.11 我们现在就去吧。 51.12 现在不说，以后就没有机会了。 51.13 从现在开始，我每天学十个词。 51.14 现在的我，和十年前的我不一样。 51.15 过去已经过去了，未来还没有来，只有现在是真的。
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These are the grammar rules for 现在 (xiànzài) — "now":
1. Position: a time word goes before the verb.
Mandarin puts time words before the action, either at the head of the sentence or right after the subject. Both orders are natural, and the choice is one of emphasis: - 我现在很忙 (I am busy now — neutral) - 现在我很忙 (Now I am busy — "now" is the topic; perhaps in contrast with earlier) - 现在我们可以走了 (Now we can go)
The English habit of putting "now" at the end is the main thing to unlearn: 我很忙现在 and 我们可以走了现在 are wrong.
2. 现在 as a noun.
Like 今天 (today) and 昨天 (yesterday), 现在 can be the subject or part of a prepositional phrase: - 现在是三点 (Now is three o'clock) - 从现在开始 (from now — "from now begin" = from now on) - 到现在 (until now): 到现在还没有 (still not yet — "until now still has-not") - 现在起 / 从现在起 (from now on, a little more formal)
3. 现在的 + noun.
Before a noun 现在 takes 的, as 今天 does: 现在的孩子 (today's children), 现在的我 (the me of now), 现在的工作 (my present job).
4. 现在 + 了: a new situation.
Final 了 marks a change of state, glossed CRS in this course ("currently relevant state"). With 现在 it points to the change that has just come about: 现在下雨了 (It's raining now — and it wasn't), 现在我们可以走了 (Now we can go — we couldn't before), 现在没有时间了 (Now there is no time left). Without 了, a sentence with 现在 just describes the present: 我现在很忙.
5. 现在就 — "right now".
就 after 现在 adds immediacy: 我们现在就去吧 (Let's go right now). For something that must be done at once, 马上 (mǎshàng, immediately) is a close neighbour.
6. Contrast with 正在 and 刚才.
正在 (zhèngzài) + verb: an action in progress, 他正在吃饭 (he is in the middle of eating). 现在 is a point in time and says nothing about progress: 他现在在家 (he is at home now). The two combine: 他现在正在吃饭. 刚才 (gāngcái): a moment ago, in the past. 我刚才看见他 (I saw him just now). 目前 (mùqián): at present, a more formal word for the same present: 目前情况很好 (the situation at present is good). 如今 (rújīn): nowadays, in a literary or written register, with a feel of "how things have changed".
7. Common time frames with 现在. - 过去 – 现在 – 未来 (past – present – future) - 现在时 (xiànzài shí): the "present tense" of a grammar textbook. Mandarin verbs have no tense endings; learners use 现在 and the other time words to do what tense does.
Common Mistakes: - Putting 现在 after the verb: *我吃饭现在 — wrong. Say 我现在吃饭 or 现在我吃饭 - Confusing 现在 with 正在: *他正在是医生 — wrong, since 正在 needs an action; say 他现在是医生 (he is a doctor now) - Using 现在 for "just now" (a moment ago): *我现在看见他 means "I see him now"; for the past say 我刚才看见他 - Dropping 的 before a noun: *现在孩子 for "today's children" — say 现在的孩子 - Writing 在 as 再: *现再 is wrong; 再 (zài) means "again" — 现在 (now), 再见 (see you again)
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现在 is among the most frequent words in everyday Mandarin, and it is neutral in register: it is used in speech, in writing, in news and in text messages. In a formal text 目前 (at present) or 当前 (dāngqián, current) often takes its place, and in a literary text 如今 or 当今 (dāngjīn, in the present age).
Time is commonly divided in three: 过去、现在、未来 (past, present, future). The same triad appears in Buddhist vocabulary as 三世 (sān shì, the three times), and the modern advice 活在当下 (huó zài dāngxià, "live in the present moment") speaks in that vein. 当下 (dāngxià) is the present moment as it is lived, a little more inward than the plain clock-word 现在. 珍惜现在 (zhēnxī xiànzài, cherish the present) is a common phrase of encouragement.
The classical poem in Section F, the 《今日歌》, makes the same appeal in verse: do not leave for tomorrow what can be done today.
In ordinary talk, 现在 also does social work. 现在的年轻人 (young people today) opens many a conversation about how the world has changed, and the four-character idiom 今非昔比 (jīn fēi xī bǐ, "now is not what then was") is the set phrase for a change that cannot be missed.
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文嘉《今日歌》— Wen Jia: Song of Today, Ming dynasty
A short poem attributed to Wen Jia (文嘉), son of the painter and calligrapher Wen Zhengming (文徵明), and widely known in the Chinese-speaking world. Its whole subject is the present. The poem says 今日 (jīnrì), the older and literary word for "today", where the modern language says 今天 for the day and 现在 for the moment, but the idea is exactly the lesson's: do it now.
今日复今日，今日何其少！ 今日又不为，此事何时了？ 人生百年几今日，今日不为真可惜！ 若言姑待明朝至，明朝又有明朝事。 为君聊赋今日诗，努力请从今日始。
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
F.1a 今日 today 复 again 今日 today 今日 today 何其 how 少 few
F.1b (jīnrì) today (fù) again (jīnrì) today (jīnrì) today (héqí) how (shǎo) few
F.2a 今日 today 又 again 不 not 为 do 此事 this-matter 何时 when 了 end
F.2b (jīnrì) today (yòu) again (bù) not (wéi) do (cǐ shì) this-matter (héshí) when (liǎo) end
F.3a 人生 life 百年 hundred-years 几 how-many 今日 todays 今日 today 不 not 为 do 真 truly 可惜 regrettable
F.3b (rénshēng) life (bǎi nián) hundred-years (jǐ) how-many (jīnrì) todays (jīnrì) today (bù) not (wéi) do (zhēn) truly (kěxī) regrettable
F.4a 若 if 言 say 姑 for-now 待 wait 明朝 tomorrow 至 arrive 明朝 tomorrow 又 again 有 have 明朝 tomorrow's 事 affairs
F.4b (ruò) if (yán) say (gū) for-now (dài) wait (míngzhāo) tomorrow (zhì) arrive (míngzhāo) tomorrow (yòu) again (yǒu) have (míngzhāo) tomorrow's (shì) affairs
F.5a 为 for 君 you 聊 just 赋 compose 今日 today 诗 poem 努力 effort 请 please 从 from 今日 today 始 begin
F.5b (wèi) for (jūn) you (liáo) just (fù) compose (jīnrì) today (shī) poem (nǔlì) effort (qǐng) please (cóng) from (jīnrì) today (shǐ) begin
F-B: Authentic Text with Translation
今日复今日，今日何其少！ 今日又不为，此事何时了？ 人生百年几今日，今日不为真可惜！ 若言姑待明朝至，明朝又有明朝事。 为君聊赋今日诗，努力请从今日始。
"Today, and again today — how few todays there are! If you do nothing today either, when will this matter ever be done? In a lifetime of a hundred years, how many todays are there? To leave today's work undone is truly a pity. If you say, 'Let us wait until tomorrow' — tomorrow will have its own tomorrow's business. For you I have made this poem of today; strive, I beg you, and begin from today."
F-C: Authentic Text Only
今日复今日，今日何其少！ 今日又不为，此事何时了？ 人生百年几今日，今日不为真可惜！ 若言姑待明朝至，明朝又有明朝事。 为君聊赋今日诗，努力请从今日始。
F-D: Grammar and Vocabulary Notes
今日 (jīnrì): "today", the classical and literary word. In a modern sentence 今天 is the day and 现在 is the moment; 今 alone survives in set words (今年, this year; 今后, from now on; 如今, nowadays), and the poem's 今日 is the ancestor of both.
复 (fù): "again", here as a classical adverb of repetition. 今日复今日 means "today after today", one today after another, so the line sets the tone of a day that comes round and round.
何其 (héqí): "how (surprisingly)", an exclamatory degree adverb of classical Chinese: 何其少 (how few!).
为 (wéi) / 了 (liǎo): in line two 为 (wéi) is "to do, to act" and 了 (liǎo) is "to finish, to come to an end", so 此事何时了 asks "when will this matter be finished?". In line five the same character is read 为 (wèi), "for": 为君 (for you). Different readings, different words, one character.
明朝 (míngzhāo): "tomorrow (morning)", a classical word, with the reading zhāo. It is not the 明朝 (Míngcháo, the Ming dynasty), whose second character is read cháo. The context decides which is meant.
姑 (gū): "for the time being, tentatively"; 姑待 means "let us wait for now". 君 (jūn): a polite "you" in verse, literally "lord, sir". 聊 (liáo): "just, for the moment" — modest in tone: 聊赋 means "I have only composed". 赋 (fù): "to compose (a poem)".
The argument of the poem: each day looks like a small thing, and the next one looks like a bargain, but "tomorrow" is a promise that only ever comes true as another "today". The poet's remedy is the lesson's word in its classical dress: 努力请从今日始.
F-E: Literary Commentary
This is a poem of five couplets, plain in diction, with the repeated word 今日 hammering on every line as a bell would. It uses no allusion and no hard word, so that a learner can follow it on the first reading. Its shape is the lesson in miniature. The opening line repeats the headword idea three times; the middle turns on a question (how many todays are there in a hundred years?); and the close is a command, 从今日始, "begin from today", which in the language of the street is 从现在开始. ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
A morning in the present moment: the narrator follows Xiao Li, who wakes late for an eight o'clock meeting, and the word 现在 marks each step as it happens. Action narrative uses short clauses, quick verbs, and a time word to pin each beat to the clock.
51.16a 现在 now 是 is 早上 morning 七 seven 点 o'clock 四十 forty
51.16b (xiànzài) now (shì) is (zǎoshang) morning (qī) seven (diǎn) o'clock (sìshí) forty
51.17a 小李 Xiao-Li 现在 now 还 still 在 at 床 bed 上 on
51.17b (Xiǎo Lǐ) Xiao-Li (xiànzài) now (hái) still (zài) at (chuáng) bed (shang) on
51.18a 现在 now 他 he 的 DE 手机 phone 响 ring 了 PERF
51.18b (xiànzài) now (tā) he (de) DE (shǒujī) phone (xiǎng) ring (le) PERF
51.19a 他 he 八 eight 点 o'clock 有 have 会 meeting 现在 now 只 only 剩 remain 二十 twenty 分钟 minutes
51.19b (tā) he (bā) eight (diǎn) o'clock (yǒu) have (huì) meeting (xiànzài) now (zhǐ) only (shèng) remain (èrshí) twenty (fēnzhōng) minutes
51.20a 现在 now 不 not 起床 get-up 就 then 来不及 too-late 了 CRS
51.20b (xiànzài) now (bù) not (qǐchuáng) get-up (jiù) then (lái bu jí) too-late (le) CRS
51.21a 他 he 一下子 suddenly 跳 jump 了 PERF 起来 up
51.21b (tā) he (yīxiàzi) suddenly (tiào) jump (le) PERF (qǐlái) up
51.22a 现在 now 没有 not-have 时间 time 洗澡 bathe 了 CRS
51.22b (xiànzài) now (méiyǒu) not-have (shíjiān) time (xǐzǎo) bathe (le) CRS
51.23a 他 he 拿 take 起 up 包 bag 现在 now 就 at-once 往 toward 外 outside 跑 run
51.23b (tā) he (ná) take (qǐ) up (bāo) bag (xiànzài) now (jiù) at-once (wǎng) toward (wài) outside (pǎo) run
51.24a 街 street 上 on 的 DE 车 vehicles 很 very 多 many 现在 now 是 is 上班 go-to-work 的 DE 时间 time
51.24b (jiē) street (shàng) on (de) DE (chē) vehicles (hěn) very (duō) many (xiànzài) now (shì) is (shàngbān) go-to-work (de) DE (shíjiān) time
51.25a 他 he 一路 all-the-way 跑 run 向 toward 地铁 metro 站 station
51.25b (tā) he (yīlù) all-the-way (pǎo) run (xiàng) toward (dìtiě) metro (zhàn) station
51.26a 地铁 metro 来 come 了 PERF 现在 now 不 not 上 board 就 then 要 will 等 wait 下 next 一 one 班 CL-service 了 CRS
51.26b (dìtiě) metro (lái) come (le) PERF (xiànzài) now (bù) not (shàng) board (jiù) then (yào) will (děng) wait (xià) next (yī) one (bān) CL-service (le) CRS
51.27a 他 he 跑 run 进 into 车厢 carriage 门 door 在 at 他 him 身后 behind 关 close 上 shut 了 PERF
51.27b (tā) he (pǎo) run (jìn) into (chēxiāng) carriage (mén) door (zài) at (tā) him (shēnhòu) behind (guān) close (shàng) shut (le) PERF
51.28a 现在 now 他 he 站 stand 在 at 车 train 里 inside 大口 big-mouthfuls 大口 big-mouthfuls 地 ADV 喘气 pant
51.28b (xiànzài) now (tā) he (zhàn) stand (zài) at (chē) train (lǐ) inside (dàkǒu) big-mouthfuls (dàkǒu) big-mouthfuls (de) ADV (chuǎnqì) pant
51.29a 他 he 看看 take-a-look 手表 watch 现在 now 七 seven 点 o'clock 五十 fifty 来得及 in-time
51.29b (tā) he (kànkan) take-a-look (shǒubiǎo) watch (xiànzài) now (qī) seven (diǎn) o'clock (wǔshí) fifty (lái de jí) in-time
51.30a 他 he 笑 smile 了 PERF 现在 now 终于 finally 可以 can 坐 sit 下来 down 了 CRS
51.30b (tā) he (xiào) smile (le) PERF (xiànzài) now (zhōngyú) finally (kěyǐ) can (zuò) sit (xiàlái) down (le) CRS
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51.16 现在是早上七点四十。 "It is now twenty to eight in the morning."
51.17 小李现在还在床上。 "Xiao Li is still in bed."
51.18 现在，他的手机响了。 "Now his phone rings."
51.19 他八点有会，现在只剩二十分钟。 "He has a meeting at eight, and now only twenty minutes remain."
51.20 现在不起床，就来不及了。 "If he doesn't get up now, it will be too late."
51.21 他一下子跳了起来。 "He leaps up in one jump."
51.22 现在没有时间洗澡了。 "Now there is no time left to shower."
51.23 他拿起包，现在就往外跑。 "He grabs his bag and runs out at once."
51.24 街上的车很多，现在是上班的时间。 "The streets are full of traffic; it is rush hour."
51.25 他一路跑向地铁站。 "He runs all the way to the metro station."
51.26 地铁来了，现在不上，就要等下一班了。 "The train arrives; if he doesn't board now, he will have to wait for the next one."
51.27 他跑进车厢，门在他身后关上了。 "He runs into the carriage and the doors shut behind him."
51.28 现在他站在车里，大口大口地喘气。 "Now he stands in the carriage, panting hard."
51.29 他看看手表：现在七点五十，来得及。 "He glances at his watch: it is ten to eight — he will make it."
51.30 他笑了，现在，终于可以坐下来了。 "He smiles; now, at last, he can sit down."
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51.16 现在是早上七点四十。 51.17 小李现在还在床上。 51.18 现在，他的手机响了。 51.19 他八点有会，现在只剩二十分钟。 51.20 现在不起床，就来不及了。 51.21 他一下子跳了起来。 51.22 现在没有时间洗澡了。 51.23 他拿起包，现在就往外跑。 51.24 街上的车很多，现在是上班的时间。 51.25 他一路跑向地铁站。 51.26 地铁来了，现在不上，就要等下一班了。 51.27 他跑进车厢，门在他身后关上了。 51.28 现在他站在车里，大口大口地喘气。 51.29 他看看手表：现在七点五十，来得及。 51.30 他笑了，现在，终于可以坐下来了。
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现在 as the clock of the narrative (51.16–51.30): in an action story, 现在 steps from beat to beat. It opens a clause (现在他站在车里) or sits after the subject (小李现在还在床上); it never comes after the verb. Where a narrator in English would change tense, the Chinese narrator keeps the verbs as they are and moves the time word.
现在不起床，就来不及了 (51.20): the "if…then" pattern with no word for "if". 现在不起床 (now not get up) sets the condition and 就来不及了 (then too late) gives the result. 来不及 (lái bu jí) is a potential complement: "cannot catch up with time". Its opposite, 来得及 (lái de jí, 51.29), means "there is still time". Both were met in the lesson on 来.
他八点有会 (51.19): a time phrase can stand in front of the verb with no preposition: 八点 (at eight) + 有 (have) + 会 (a meeting). 会 here is the noun "meeting"; as a verb or an auxiliary 会 means "can, will", so the context decides. 只剩二十分钟 (only twenty minutes remain): 剩 (remain, be left over) takes the amount as its object.
拿起包 (51.23): 拿 (take) + 起 (up) is a verb with a directional complement: "to pick up". 起 shows upward motion of the object. 往外跑 (run outward): 往 (toward) + 外 (outside) + 跑 (run), the direction coming before the verb.
现在不上，就要等下一班了 (51.26): 就要 + verb + 了 means "will soon / will then have to". 下一班 (the next one) uses 班 as a measure word for scheduled services (trains, buses, flights). 上 (shàng) means "to board" here: 上地铁 (get on the metro).
门在他身后关上了 (51.27): 关上 is verb plus result complement: close and shut. 在他身后 (behind him) is a locative phrase before the verb: 在 + person + 身后. The subject 门 (the door) is placed before the verb because it is the known thing that closes.
大口大口地喘气 (51.28): the reduplicated 大口 (a big mouthful) + 地 turns the phrase into an adverb. 地 (de) joins an adverbial modifier to the verb it describes: 大口大口地 + 喘气 (pant, breathe heavily).
现在，终于可以坐下来了 (51.30): 终于 (finally) in front of 可以 (can); 坐下来 (sit down) is verb + 下来, a directional complement meaning "down and settling here". Final 了 closes the sentence on a new situation: until now he could not sit, and now he can. The last 现在 sums up the story: the moment of relief is as much a part of the present as the rush.
Not every sentence in this passage contains 现在: 51.21, 51.25 and 51.27 are the quick physical beats between its marks, where an action needs no time word.
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现在 (xiànzài) — IPA: /ɕjɛn˥˩ tsaɪ˥˩/ — two fourth tones, both falling.
x: a voiceless alveolo-palatal fricative [ɕ], with the tongue-blade pressed flat behind the lower teeth and the lips spread, between English "s" and "sh" but different from both: say "she" with a smile.
ian: pronounced [jɛn], not "ee-an". The vowel in the middle is open, as in English "yen". The pinyin spelling is xian, but the sound is closer to "shyen".
z: an unaspirated alveolar affricate [ts], like the "ts" in "cats" at the start of a syllable, with no puff of breath. The aspirated partner is c [tsʰ]: zài (在, at) contrasts with cài (菜, vegetable).
ai: [aɪ], as in English "eye", for 在 (zài).
The two falls: with two fourth tones together, the first one starts high but does not drop all the way to the bottom; it is cut short and full pitch falls on the second. The pair sounds like a firm "xiàn-ZÀI", with the weight on the end of the word.
现在 (xiànzài) vs 再 (zài): identical in sound and in tone, different in character. In 现在, 在 is "to be at"; in 再见 (zàijiàn), 再 is "again".
Tone marks in this course are written in their base tones, without sandhi. In speech 不 (bù) before a fourth tone is said bú (不在 is spoken bú zài), and 一 (yī) before a fourth tone is said yí (一个 is spoken yí gè); the lesson text keeps the base marks.
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Course Index: [latinum.substack.com/p/index](https://latinum.substack.com/p/index)