〜ている
Conjugation:is doing / is in a state
Says that an action is in progress ("is doing"), or that a change has happened and its result is still there ("is married"). Which meaning you get depends on the verb.
Conjugation rules
- Put the verb in the て-form and add いる: 読む becomes 読んでいる.
- いる conjugates like an ichidan verb: 読んでいます, 読んでいた, 読んでいない.
- With verbs for actions that take time, like 食べる and 読む, it means "is doing": 食べている (is eating).
- With verbs for a change that happens at one moment, like 結婚する (to marry) and 起きる (to wake up), it means the result still holds: 結婚している (is married), 起きている (is awake).
- It also describes habits and ongoing situations: 毎朝走っている (runs every morning), 銀行で働いている (works at a bank).
Examples
ichidan
食べる(to eat)食べている
godan
読む(to read)読んでいる
irregular
する(to do)している
来る(to come)来ている
Example sentences
今、本を読んでいます。
I'm reading a book now.
姉は結婚しています。
My older sister is married.
Notes
- In casual speech the い is often dropped: 読んでる, 食べてる.
- "Know" is 知っている, but "don't know" is 知らない, not 知っていない.
- ある and いる already describe states, so they do not take ている.
Common mistakes
- Using the ます form for where you live: 東京に住んでいます (I live in Tokyo), not 住みます, which sounds like a plan to move there.
Similar meaning
- 〜てあるhas been done (on purpose)
A state someone left on purpose: 窓が開けてある (the window has been opened), where 窓が開いている only says it is open.