Te-iru: Progressive, Resultant State, and Habit
Quick Answer: 〜ている has three main meanings: (1) ongoing action — 'is doing' (食べている = is eating), (2) resultant state — 'has done and the result remains' (結婚している = is married), (3) habitual...
The many faces of 'te-form + iru'
Category: Verb Forms
The Rule
〜ている has three main meanings: (1) ongoing action — 'is doing' (食べている = is eating), (2) resultant state — 'has done and the result remains' (結婚している = is married), (3) habitual action — 'regularly does' (毎日走っている = runs every day).
Why This Matters
English '-ing' only covers meaning (1). Japanese ている also covers states resulting from completed actions — this is the hardest concept for English speakers. 死んでいる doesn't mean 'is dying' but 'is dead' (the result of having died). Similarly, 知っている = 'knows' (state of having learned), not 'is knowing.'
Examples
• 今、電話で話しています。 — "I'm talking on the phone right now." [Ongoing action — straightforward progressive] • 田中さんは結婚しています。 — "Tanaka-san is married." [Resultant state — the marriage happened and the state continues] • 毎朝コーヒーを飲んでいます。 — "I drink coffee every morning." [Habitual action — regular routine] • この道は曲がっている。 — "This road is curved." [Resultant state — the road curved and remains that way]
Common Mistakes
❌ 田中さんを知っていますか？ — はい、知っています。 ✅ ✓ (This IS correct! But: いいえ、知りません。) → 知る is a state verb: 知っている = know. But the negative is 知りません (NOT 知っていません). This is a frequent mistake ❌ もう食べている (meaning 'already ate') ✅ もう食べた → For completed action (already ate), use た-form. ている would mean 'is currently eating' or 'has eaten (and the state continues)' depending on context
Quick Tip
For 'change of state' verbs (結婚する, 死ぬ, 開く), ている means the RESULT persists, not the action is ongoing. 死んでいる = is dead, NOT is dying.
For 'change of state' verbs (結婚する, 死ぬ, 開く), ている means the RESULT persists, not the action is ongoing. 死んでいる = is dead, NOT is dying.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: 田中さんを知っていますか？ — はい、知っています。 → Correct: ✓ (This IS correct! But: いいえ、知りません。). 知る is a state verb: 知っている = know. But the negative is 知りません (NOT 知っていません). This is a frequent mistake
Incorrect: もう食べている (meaning 'already ate') → Correct: もう食べた. For completed action (already ate), use た-form. ている would mean 'is currently eating' or 'has eaten (and the state continues)' depending on context
Quiz
What does 「窓が開いている」 mean?