The 〜ている (~te iru) Form
The ~te iru form is used to express ongoing actions ('I am doing') and ongoing states ('It is broken'). It's one of the most common verb forms in Japanese.
Two Main Meanings of 〜ている
In English, '-ing' usually means an action is happening right now (I am eating). In Japanese, ~ている can mean two entirely different things depending on the verb.
1. Ongoing Action: For verbs that take time (eat, read, run), ~ている means the action is currently in progress. ('I am eating')
2. State of Being: For verbs that happen in an instant (break, get married, die), ~ている means the action happened, and its state continues. ('I am married' / 'It is broken')
To make this form, you simply take the Te-form of a verb and add 'iru' (or 'imasu' for polite speech).
Conjugation Rules
Example Sentences
Teacher's Advice
In conversational Japanese, the 'i' in '~te iru' is often dropped! So 'tabete iru' becomes 'tabeteru', and 'nonde imasu' becomes 'nondemasu'. Listen closely to native speakers and you'll hear this everywhere!
JLPT Exam Patterns
- •Distinguishing between ongoing actions and states (N5, N4)
- •知っています (I know) vs 知りません (I don't know - Exception: do not use shitte imasen) (N5)
- •Listening questions using the casual dropped 'i' form (~てる) (N4)
Related Grammar
Master the ~te iru form
Practice transforming dictionary verbs into their ~te iru states with our interactive quizzes.