ているte iru“ongoing action or current state”

ている (polite: ています) describes something that is continuing right now. Depending on the verb, that is either an action in progress (“I’m reading”), a state that resulted from a change (“She’s married”), or a habit (“I work at a bank”). It is one of the most important JLPT N5 verb forms.

Many learners start by treating ている as the Japanese “-ing.” That works for verbs like 読む and 食べる, but it breaks with verbs like 結婚する, 知る, and 行く. The key is to ask what kind of verb you have.

ている doesn’t mean “-ing.” It means “is in the middle of it” — or “is in the state after it.”

What does ている mean?

ている is built from the te-form of a verb plus the verb いる (“to be, to exist”). Literally, you are saying “I exist in the state of doing X.” It has three N5 meanings:

1. Action in progress — with verbs of ongoing activity: 読む, 食べる, 書く, 見る, 待つ. 今、ご飯を食べています — I’m eating right now.
2. Resulting state — with verbs of change that happen in a moment: 結婚する, 起きる, 来る, 行く, 知る, 開く. 結婚しています — I’m married (the wedding happened; the state continues).
3. Habit or ongoing situation — repeated actions or jobs: 毎朝走っています (I run every morning), 銀行で働いています (I work at a bank).

The polite form is ています. The negative is ていません, and in casual speech ている is usually shortened to てる: 何してる？ (“What are you doing?”).

How to form ている

Take the te-form of any verb and add いる (casual) or います (polite).

Because ている is built on the te-form, any te-form error (for example 読みて instead of 読んで) carries over. Get the te-form solid first.

When is ている used?

• Describing what is happening now: often with 今 (now). 今、電話しています — I’m on the phone right now.
• Talking about where you live and work: 住んでいます and 働いています are the standard forms. Plain 住みます means “will live.”
• Describing appearance and states: 窓が開いています (the window is open), 眼鏡をかけています (wears glasses).
• Saying you know something: 知っています. This verb almost always appears in ている form when positive.
• Saying something hasn’t happened yet: まだ食べていません — I haven’t eaten yet.

ています is neutral-polite. ている and てる are for friends and family.

ている example sentences

Look at examples 3 and 6. Neither is an “-ing” sentence in English, but both use ている in Japanese, because the event (getting married, learning the number) already happened and its result continues.

Nuance of ている

The meaning depends on the verb. Verbs that describe an activity lasting some time (読む, 走る, 勉強する) give “is doing.” Verbs that describe an instant change (結婚する, 死ぬ, 起きる, 着く) give “has done and is now in that state.”

This matters most with 行く and 来る. 父は東京に行っています does not mean “My father is going to Tokyo.” It means “My father has gone to Tokyo (and is there now).” To say someone is on the way, you need a different expression.

💡 Test: ask whether the action can be “in the middle.” You can be in the middle of reading, so 読んでいる = reading. You can’t be in the middle of getting married at a single moment, so 結婚している = married.

ている vs てある

Both describe a current state, which makes them easy to mix up when talking about things around you.

Use ている for anything happening now and for plain descriptions. Use てある only when you want to stress that someone prepared the situation.

Common mistakes with ている

Is ている on the JLPT?

Picture-based listening questions often ask which person is being described: 眼鏡をかけています、本を読んでいます. Listen for each ている phrase and match it to the drawing.

Practice questions for ている

Learning path for ている

Related grammar to review next

• てある — also describes a state, but one someone created on purpose.
• まだ〜ていません — the negative ている used for “not yet.”
• ていた — the past of ている: “was doing” or “had been in that state.”
• ているところ — stresses that you are right in the middle of an action.

Learn ている with Hane

Hane sorts verbs by type as you drill them, so you learn that 読んでいる means “reading” but 結婚している means “married.” Practise ている in Hane.