"Everyone has arrived, where are you now?"

Translation: 大家都到了，你现在在哪儿？

[MichaelLe3139]

Does anyone know why I cannot use Zhengzai 正在 in this case?

[Celticfiddleguy]

I found this helpful:

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-practical-difference-between-%E6%AD%A3%E5%9C%A8-and-%E7%8E%B0%E5%9C%A8

[RichardMacKellar]

Same question, when do you use 现在 and when do you use 正在?

[Gabrielle145359]

现在 is the time word "now". Grammatically, it works like any point in time: 今天，去年，这个周末，etc. (It is placed before or after the subject.) 正在 modifies the verb. The mening is like adding "-ing" to a verb in English (although it is not used in as many circumstances in Chinese as in English). It shows that the verb is IN PROGRESS RIGHT NOW. 在 alone can also be used for verbs in progress, but 正在 puts even more emphasis on the "happening right now" aspect. Both 在 and 正在 are placed directly before the verb they modify.

[PierreBourg]

谢谢！

[friedzucchini]

Is 都 here necessary when already using 大家？

[RobinThor]

Why is 大家到了你现在在哪里 not accepted?

[e1VpVxkl]

I think because 里 (lǐ) is somewhere INSIDE. You could also be somewhwere outside: in this case you are probably riding/walking. An answer such as: "I am now in my car, in the train / bus", wouldn't the questioner make not much wiser ...

[Gabrielle145359]

Actually, "哪里” is one word in this case, which just means "where," equivalent to ”哪儿." On its own, 里 does mean "inside."

[Riven333]

A native speaker told me it sounds awkward to her to use ”正在在哪儿“ and recommended it more natural to say "现在在哪儿"

[Nicofiesta]

Yeah it's exactly like in English: 'Where are you now?' sounds more natural than 'Where are you right now?'

[kuyaC]

Is 都到了。。。 wrong?

[JanDrabner]

I think 都 cannot really stand on its own. I've only seen it work as a kind of "modifier" for other words, like 大家.
But don't ask me what the difference between 大家 and 大家都 is...

[Gabrielle145359]

都 is an adverb, so it can't be the subject of the sentence. 大家 is a pronoun. 大家都+verb just emphasizes the all-inclusive nature. (It does not technically change the meaning of the sentence from just 大家.)

大家都 is commonly used in Chinese. (It does not sound wordy as it would in English.)

[e1VpVxkl]

大家都到了，现在你在哪儿？(dà jiā dōu dào le, xiàn zài nǐ zài nǎ 'r?) = Accepted.": 19 feb. 2020.

[Matt541870]

It say "Everyone has arrived, where are you now?" and I did it correct and it say's I didn't put "你" in the sentence!!!