ている / ています is one of the most frequently used patterns in Japanese. But many learners default to translating it as "is doing" -- and then get confused by 結婚しています ("is marrying"?).
ている actually has three uses. Understanding them will save you from mistranslations forever.
Use 1: Action in Progress
The most intuitive use. An action is happening right now.
Verb te-form + いる / います = is doing...
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 兄は今テレビを見ています。 | My brother is watching TV right now. |
| お風呂に入っています。 | I'm taking a bath. |
| 弟は今テレビを見ています。 | My younger brother is watching TV now. |
How to identify: Does "is doing" sound natural? If yes, it's this use.
Use 2: Resultative State
This is the hardest one because English (and Chinese) don't have a direct equivalent.
It means: an action was completed, and its result still exists now.
Verb te-form + いる / います = the result of the action persists
| Example | Literal | Natural translation |
|---|---|---|
| 赤いバスがここに止まっている。 | The red bus "is stopping" here? | The red bus is parked here. |
| 田中さんは結婚しています。 | Tanaka "is marrying"? | Tanaka is married. |
| 兄は日本に行っています。 | My brother "is going" to Japan? | My brother is in Japan (he went and is still there). |
| 猫がここに座っています。 | The cat "is sitting"? | The cat is sitting here. |
| 犬が死んでいます。 | The dog "is dying"? | The dog is dead. |
How to identify: Does "is doing" sound weird? Then it's the resultative use.
The logic: An action happened at some point (the bus stopped, Tanaka got married, my brother went to Japan). The result of that action still holds true now. ている focuses on the current state, not the action itself.
Past tense: ていました
If the result existed at some point in the past:
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 昨日三時に窓が開いていました。 | The window was open at 3:00 yesterday. |
| 兄は日本に行っていました。 | My brother had gone to Japan (but has come back now). |
Note the difference: 行っています = is in Japan now; 行っていました = was in Japan (not anymore).
Use 3: Habitual Action
Expresses an action you do regularly as a habit.
Verb te-form + いる / います = habitually does...
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 私は毎日新聞を読んでいます。 | I read the newspaper every day. |
| 兄は毎日ミルクを飲んでいます。 | My brother drinks milk every day. |
| 山本さんは毎日スーパーへ行っています。 | Yamamoto goes to the supermarket every day. |
How to identify: Look for frequency words like 毎日, 毎週, いつも.
Comparing Progressive vs. Habitual
Same verb, different time words, different meaning:
| Example | Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 兄は今ミルクを飲んでいます。 | My brother is drinking milk right now. | Progressive |
| 兄は毎日ミルクを飲んでいます。 | My brother drinks milk every day. | Habitual |
今 = progressive; 毎日 = habitual.
Negative: ていません
The negative of ている is ていません / ていない. It has one unified meaning: not yet done.
Verb te-form + いません / いない = haven't done... yet
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| まだご飯を食べていません。 | I haven't eaten yet. |
| まだ書いていません。 | I haven't written it yet. |
| 上司に説明していない。 | I haven't explained it to my boss yet. |
The negative is simpler than the affirmative -- no need to distinguish three uses. It just means "not yet."
Quick Reference
| Use | "Is doing" test | Typical clue | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive | Sounds natural | 今, いま | 今テレビを見ている |
| Resultative | Sounds weird | No time word | 結婚している |
| Habitual | Doesn't quite fit | 毎日, いつも | 毎日走っている |
Wrap-Up
- ている has three uses: progressive, resultative state, habitual
- "Is doing" sounds natural = progressive
- "Is doing" sounds weird = resultative state
- Frequency words present = habitual
- Negative ていない / ていません = not yet done
- Past tense ていました = past progressive / past state
Practice
Q1. What does "田中さんは結婚しています" mean? Is Tanaka "currently getting married"?
Answer
Tanaka is married (currently in the state of being married).
結婚する is an instantaneous action. ている shows the result of that action persists -- Tanaka got married and is still married now.
Q2. What does "まだ宿題を書いていません" mean?
Answer
I haven't done my homework yet.
ていません indicates the action has not yet been completed.
Q3. What use does each sentence represent?
- 「兄は今ミルクを飲んでいます」
- 「兄は毎日ミルクを飲んでいます」
Answer
- First: Progressive. My brother is drinking milk right now. (Clue: 今)
- Second: Habitual. My brother drinks milk every day. (Clue: 毎日)