在 / 到【zài / dào】

After certain verbs, 在 + a place says where someone or something ends up and stays: where they live, sit or stand, where a thing is put or written. The 在 phrase comes straight after the verb.

The verbs that take it are mostly about position: 住, 坐, 站, 躺, 放, 写, 停, 挂.

在 before the verb or after it

在 + place before the verb says where an action takes place. After the verb, it says where the result lands.

With 住 both orders are fine: 我在北京住 and 我住在北京 mean the same.

到 for where a movement ends

到 after a verb of movement gives the end point: "to", "back to", "as far as".

Where 了 and the object go

Nothing goes between the verb and 在 or 到. 了 moves to the end of the sentence.

• × 我坐了在这儿 → 我坐在这儿了
• × 他搬了到上海 → 他搬到上海了

An object can't sit between them either. It moves to the front, often with 把, which has its own point.

• × 我放书在桌子上 → 我把书放在桌子上