JapaneseAuxiliary Verbs, Tenses, Verbs In Japanese, the ている[te iru] form of the verb is used to describe a situation that is ongoing during or which otherwise continues to impact another moment. It is a bit like the “be verbing” tense in English, but it is used in a lot more situations. Check out the many possible translations for the present and past tense ている[te iru] forms below!
✅ is writing
✅ has been writing
✅ has written
✅ writes (regularly)
→ present tense
✅ was writing
✅ had been writing
✅ had written
✅ used to write
→ past tense
Because the ている[te iru] form is used to talk about what is or was going on, this is a great form to master for everyday communication. For example, if you want to text your friend and ask what they are doing now, you need to use the ている[te iru] form.
In this post, we’ll start by going over how to form and conjugate the ている[te iru] form of a verb, then we’ll go over how and when to use this form. Are you ready? Let’s get started!
How to conjugate a ている [te iru] verb?
A ている[te iru] verb is made of two parts: a verb in its te-form and a form of the verb いる[iru], which literally means “to exist.”
To conjugate a ている[te iru] verb, all you need to do is conjugate the いる[iru] part using the same forms you would use if it literally meant “to exist.” The second form in each box is the polite form.
| | | | 書いていませんでした kaite imasen deshita
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| | | | 泳いでいませんでした oyoide imasen deshita
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In spoken, colloquial Japanese, ている[te iru] is often shortened to one of these forms:
てん[ten] → This form is most often used before だ[da], です[desu], or の[no].
For example, both sentences below mean: “My parents are visiting now.”
今、親が遊びに来てるの。
Ima, oya ga asobi ni kiteru no.
今、親が遊びに来てんですよ。
Ima, oya ga asobi ni kite n desu yo.
As you can see, these variations may be used in both polite and casual forms. てん[ten] sounds a little more blunt than てる[teru], but there is no difference in meaning. When writing, though, it’s best to spell it out as ている[te iru], unless you are writing a direct quote!
Now that we are familiar with how ている[te iru] is conjugated, let’s find out how and when to use a verb + ている[te iru] in the next section.
When to use the ている [te iru] form?
The ている[te iru] form has many uses. It is often used…
For a continuing or ongoing action → "is playing", "was playing", ...
For a habitual or repeated action → "(regularly) travels", "used to travel", ...
For a continuing result of a finished action → "has died", "had visited before", ...
For some appearance or state descriptions → "is skinny", "was hospitalized", ...
Often, the type of verb that you attach ている[te iru] to will determine its meaning, but the ている[te iru] form can be ambiguous and you’ll need to use the context to determine the exact intended meaning. Let’s go through each use of ている[te iru] to discuss them in depth!
ている [te iru] for ongoing and continuous actions
You can use ている[te iru] for actions that are ongoing or continuing at the time under discussion, regardless of when the action began. This means that while you’ll often translate this form with a “be verbing” from, like “is running” or “was cleaning,” you might also translate it using a “have been verbing” form, like “has been running” or “has been cleaning.” Let’s look at some examples!
ている [te iru] for something that “is happening” or “was happening”
In many contexts, this means that you’ll translate a ている[te iru] form into English with the progressive “be verbing” form.
In the present → for “right now”
音楽を聞いている。
Ongaku o kiite iru.
(I) am listening to music.
私が家に帰ってきた時、子供はテレビゲームをしていませんでした。
Watashi ga ie ni kaette kita toki, kodomo wa terebi gēmu o shite imasen deshita.
When I came home, the child wasn’t playing a video game.
In the past → for “right then”
風鈴が風で揺れていた。
Fūrin ga kaze de yurete ita.
A wind chime was swaying in the wind.
東京は雨が降っていましたか。
Tōkyō wa ame ga futte imashita ka.
When you want to ask someone what they are doing now, make sure to use the ている[te iru] form! Many learners make a mistake by using a simple present tense.
te-iru form
✅ 何をしているの？
Nani o shite iru no?
What are you doing (right now)?
non-past form
What will you do? / What do you do?
Here’s an example of how you might do this more casually, at home:
今、何してんの？
Ima, nani shiten no.
→ The contracted てん is the perfect way to ask this question between friends and family members!
→ Answer with dropped い[i] for a casual response.
ている [te iru] for something that “has been happening” or “had been happening”
You can also add ている[te iru] to a verb for an action that “has been happening” or “had been happening” for some time.
三年前から日本語を勉強しているのにまだ話せません。
San’nen mae kara nihongo o benkyō shite iru noni mada hanasemasen.
I have been studying Japanese for three years, but I still can’t speak it.
鈴木さんは大学院生の頃から癌について研究しています。
Suzuki-san wa daigakuinsei no koro kara gan ni tsuite kenkyū shite imasu.
Mr. Suzuki has been researching cancer since he was a graduate student.
You can tell that these phrases describe an action that started before “now” by looking at the time phrases:
大学院生の頃から
daigakuinsei no koro kara
since a graduate student time
These kinds of phrases are not essential, but adding them can let you clarify that the action has happened for some time before the moment under discussion.
ている [te iru] for habitual or repeated actions
We can use a verb with ている[te iru] to express a habitual or a repeated action, as long as they are used with a phrase that indicates how frequently it happens.
この病院では、毎日十人ぐらいの赤ちゃんが生まれています。
Kono byōin de wa, mainichi jūnin gurai no akachan ga umarete imasu.
About ten babies are born in this hospital everyday.
去年はダイエットのために週に３回スポーツジムで運動していました。
Kyonen wa daietto no tame ni shū ni sankai supōtsujimu de undō shite imashita.
Last year, (I) exercised at the gym three times a week to lose weight.
父は毎日電車で通勤しています。
Chichi wa mainichi densha de tsūkin shite imasu.
My father commutes by train every day.
As you can see from the examples, the action may be repeated by the same person or many people.
One common way to describe the frequency is to use this pattern:
period / duration
(day, week, ...)
Check out our post on Japanese habituals to find out more about how to form these frequency descriptions!
You can also use a verb + ている[te iru] with some verbs for long-term verbs that you don’t do at a particular time. You might use this structure to talk about where one lives or works.
私は子供の頃シカゴに住んでいました。
Watashi wa kodomo no koro Shikago ni sunde imashita.
I used to live in Chicago when I was a child.
ている [te iru] for the resulting state of a past action
You can also use a verb + ている[te iru] to discuss an ongoing state or situation that results from a previous, one-time action. It’s a lot like you might use “has verbed” or “had verbed” in English.
今、服を着ている。
Ima, fuku o kite iru.
I have put on my clothes now.
→ I put them on in the past and they are still on now.
Be careful, though, you might not always use “have” in your translation! For example, in Japanese, we often discuss states that result from a momentary event, like being “dead,” “closed,” “married,” or “over” using the ている[te iru] forms of the verbs for those momentary events:
その魚は死んでいる。
Sono sakana wa shinde iru.
→ It has died. It died and is still dead.
スーパーに行ったけど、もう閉まっていた。
Sūpā ni itta kedo, mō shimatte ita.
(I) went to a supermarket, but (it) was already closed.
→ It has closed. It closed and was still closed.
五年前に会った時は彼女はまだ結婚していなかった。
Gonen mae ni atta toki wa, kanojo wa mada kekkon shite inakatta.
She wasn’t married when we met five years ago.
→ At that time, she hadn’t married. She didn’t get married, and she still wasn’t married.
先週の日曜日には、九州の梅雨は終わっていた。
Senshū no nichiyōbi ni wa, Kyūshū no tsuyu wa owatteita.
By last Sunday, the rainy season in Kyushu was over.
→ It had already ended and it was still over.
Let’s look at some common cases where you’ll use the ている[te iru] form to discuss the continuing results of a finished action:
ている [te iru] form with movement verbs
We often use the ている[te iru] form of movement verbs to discuss whether someone “has arrived” somewhere. For example:
Question:吉田さん、そっちにいますか。
Yoshida-san, socchi ni imasu ka?
Is Ms. Yoshida there (with you)?
Answer:吉田さん？ええ、今うちに来ていますよ。
Yoshida-san? Ē, ima uchi ni kite imasu yo.
Ms. Yoshida? Yes, she has come to my place (and she is still here now).
This is a case where you may want to add an adverb, like もう[mō](already), or some time description that clarifies that person is not actively traveling, but has arrived already.
The ている [te iru] form of the verb “to know”
The main verb we use to describe knowing something in Japanese is the verb 知る[shiru], which literally means something like “to come to know” or even “to learn.” It describes a singular event during which someone acquires knowledge.
So if you want to say that someone now “knows” something, that is the result state of the verb 知る[shiru], and you’ll need to use the ている[te iru] form of this verb!
te iru form
(I) know!
lit. (I) have come to know.
non-past form
I know.
lit. (I) come to know.
If you want to say someone doesn’t know something though, you’ll want to use the plain negative instead.
negative te iru form
❌ 知っていないよ！
Shitte inai yo!
The ている [te iru] form for past experiences
Much like you might say that you “have taken” a course or “have visited” Japan in English, you can use the ている [te iru] form to talk about past experiences that impact on the present. Compare the ている[te iru] form with the simple past tense, which is also used to talk about past actions:
simple past
JLPTのN１は受けた。
JLPT no N1 wa uketa.
→ This sentence simply provides a fact about the past.
te iru form
JLPTのN１は 受けている。
JLPT no N1 wa ukete iru.
I have taken the JLPT N1 exam.
→ You would use this sentence to discuss how the experience of the exam affects the situation now. For example, you might use it to explain that now you have a credential, or that you can give someone advice on how to study.
One difference between talking about past experiences using the ている[te iru] form and the English “have taken” form, is that in English you usually wouldn’t mention the exact time you had the experience, but in Japanese adding that exact information is totally fine.
JLPTのN１は二年前に受けている。
JLPT no N1 wa ninen mae ni ukete iru.
I took the JLPT N1 exam two years ago.
lit. I have taken the JLPT N1 exam two years ago.
→ Use this in the same circumstances where you’d use the previous sentence — it just gives a bit more information!
This use of the ている[te iru] form to reference a past experience at a specific time can be tricky for English speakers to master, but usually, you’ll be able to see why the ている[te iru] form was used to discuss a past experience at a certain time, if you imagine removing this time phrase. Let’s look at some examples!
Speaker A:ブラウンさんはなんであんなに日本語ができるのかなぁ。
Buraun-san wa nan de an’na ni nihongo ga dekiru no ka nā.
I wonder why Ms. Brown is so good at Japanese.
Speaker B:ああ、それは大学の時日本に留学しているし。
Aa, sore wa daigaku no toki, nihon ni ryūgaku shite iru shi.
Ah, that’s (because she) studied abroad in Japan during college.
→ Think: “because she has studied abroad in Japan”
Speaker A:このDVD、見た？貸してあげようか。
Kono DVD, mita? Kashite ageyō ka.
Have you watched this DVD? Shall I lend it to you?
Speaker B:そのDVDは去年見ているよ。（だから、貸してくれなくてもいいよ。）
Sono DVD wa kyonen mite iru yo. (Dakara, kashite kurenaku te mo ii yo.)
I watched that DVD last year. (So you don't have to lend it to me.)
→ Think “I have already watched it”
ている [te iru] for a state, condition, or appearance of the subject
Often you’ll use a ている[te iru] form to describe the state, condition, or appearance of the subject. to express a state, condition or appearance of the subject. Let’s read some examples:
あのモデルはすごく痩せている。
Ano moderu wa sugoku yasete iru.
That model is very skinny.
このクッキーは丸い形をしている。
Kono kukkī wa marui katachi o shite iru.
This cookie has a round shape.
lit. This cookie is doing a round shape.
祖母は入院していますが、容態は落ち着いている。
Sobo wa nyūin shite imasu ga, yōdai wa ochitsuite iru.
My grandmother is hospitalized, but her condition is stable.
ている[te iru] cannot be used with the verbs that already express states. So the verbs ある[aru] and いる[iru], meaning “to be” or “to exist”, cannot take ている[te iru].
Of course, there are always exceptions, though! In certain dialects, such as the Kansai dialect, the word いてる (iteru, “to be, to exist), which comes from the ている form of いる (iru), is sometimes used.
How to tell if the ている [te iru] form means something “has happened” vs. “is happening”?
We’ve now seen that the ている[te iru] form can be used to talk about an action in progress (“is happening”) or an earlier action whose result is still in place (“has happened”).
今、服を着ている。
Ima, fuku o kite iru.
✅I am putting on my clothes now.
✅I have put on my clothes now.
So how do you tell which meaning is intended?
Sometimes, looking at the or time descriptors can give you a good hint.
If you’re describing how an action is progressing, it’s likely the action is in progress.
船は今ゆっくりと港を離れている。
Fune wa ima yukkuri to minato o hanarete iru.
The ship is slowly departing the port now.
When you use an adverb like もう[ mō] or すでに[sude ni], both of which mean “already” that clarifies that you’re talking about an action that is already finished.
船はすでに港を離れている。
Fune wa sude ni minato o hanarete iru.
The ship has already left the port.
You’ll often hear the adverbs もう[mō](already) or まだ[mada](not yet) used when the ている[te iru] form represents a finished action. Just like “yet” in English, まだ is used with a negative verb.
Question:朝ご飯、食べた?
Asagohan, tabeta?
Answer 1:negative verb
ううん、まだ食べていないよ。
Uun, mada tabete inai yo.
No, (I) have not eaten yet.
Answer 2: affirmative verb
うん、もう 食べているよ。
Un, mō tabete iru yo.
However, you won’t always see an adverb used! Often, though you’ll just need to look at the context to really tell them apart. Luckily, Japanese speakers will usually include adverbs if the context makes the difference confusing, so as long as you keep your eyes open, you should be fine!
How to use している [shite iru] with adjectives and nouns
In Japanese, we often use the verb している[shite iru], the ている[te iru] form of the verb する[suru](do), express that something’s state is changing or that it has changed and is being held in place.
We do this by combining している[shite iru] with various adjectives or nouns that describe states. Notice how each of the examples below can have two possible meanings:
制服のスカートの丈を短くしている。
Seifuku no sukāto no take o mijikaku shite iru.
“is changing”I am making the uniform skirt short.
“has changed”I have made the uniform skirt short.
→ …and the skirt is still short.
部屋をきれいにしていますか？
Heya o kirei ni shite imasu ka?
“is changing”Are (you) cleaning the room?
→ Are you making the room clean?
“has changed”Are (you) keeping the room clean?
→ Have you made it clean (and is it still that way)?
Adjective + している [shite iru]
If the state is something that you would usually describe using an adjective, you’ll first need to convert that adjective into an adverb. So this means you’ll need to follow the rules below when you use an adjective before している[shite iru]:
i-adjectives → Replace the ending い[i] with く[ku]
na-adjectives → Add に[ni] after the adjective
→
れいにしています
kirei ni shite imasu
Noun + している [shite iru]
Nouns are mostly used with している[shite iru] as a way of describing someone’s occupation. Follow the pattern below:
彼はトラックの運転手をしている。
Kare wa torakku no untenshu o shite iru.
You’ll also use this structure in some other circumstances where a noun defines something’s state though, for example:
state nounしている [shite iru]
このクッキーは丸い形を している。
Kono kukkī wa marui katachi o shite iru.
This cookie has a round shape.
To sum up
In this post, we’ve covered how to form and use the ている[te iru] form of verbs in Japanese. Here are the big points to remember:
To make the ている[te iru] form, combinethe te-form of a verb with a form of the verb いる[iru].
The ている[te iru]form is used when an action or situation remains in place for some time. You’ll specifically use it…
for ongoing or continuing actions
something is happening, was happening, has been happening, had been happening…
for habitual or repeated actions
something (regularly) happens, used to happen...
for a previous action whose result is still in place
has happened, had happened...
for some states and conditions
Ready to practice what you’ve learned? Check out these ている[te iru] exercises exercises! Happy learning!
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