JLPT N4 Grammar – Uses of “〜ている” Beyond the Present Progressive Tense

Table of Contents

1.  Uses of “〜ている” Beyond the Present Progressive Tense
2. Uses of “〜ている”
3. ① Resulting State
4. ② Continuation or repetition of a habit
5. ③ Maintenance of a changed state
6. ④ Experience or background
7. ⑤ Existence in a Specific Location
8. Summary
9. Similar Articles
10. Comment

Q: I’m confused because there are so many uses of “〜ている.”

A: “〜ている” can express a variety of things beyond just the present progressive tense. Let’s take a closer look at each usage.

Uses of “〜ている”

[Meanings]
① Resulting state
② Continuation or repetition of a habit
③ Maintenance of a changed state
④ Experience or background
⑤ Existence in a specific location

[Rule]
[V] Verbて form + いる

[Examples]
マリアさんは結婚けっこんしています。（①）
Maria is married. (①)

アップルはパソコンを作つくっています。（②継続けいぞく）
Apple is making computers. (② ongoing action)

1か月げつに4回かいジムに行いっています。（②習慣しゅうかん）
I go to the gym four times a month. (② habitual action)

毎月まいつき、地震じしんが起おきています。（②繰り返く　かえし）
Earthquakes are occurring every month. (② repeated action)

部屋へやの電気でんきが消きえています。（③）
The room’s lights are off. (③ state resulting from change)

ジュンさんは10回かいも富士ふじ山さんに登のぼっています。（④）
Jun has climbed Mount Fuji 10 times. (④)

母ははは買かい物ものに行いっています。(⑤)
My mother has gone shopping. (⑤)

① Resulting State

This indicates a state where something done or occurred at a past point in time continues into the present.

[Commonly Used Verbs]
知しる (to know), 結婚けっこんする (to marry), 住すむ (to live), 持もつ (to have/own)

[Example]
マリアさんは結婚けっこんしています。
Maria is married.
⇒ She got married, and that state continues to the present.

② Continuation or Repetition of a Habit

① This expresses actions or activities that started at a past point in time and continue into the present.

[Commonly Used Verbs]
作つくる (to make), 働はたらく (to work), 売うる (to sell), 教おしえる (to teach), 勉強べんきょうする (to study), 行おこなう (to carry out)

[Example]
アップルはパソコンを作つくっています。
Apple is making computers.
⇒ Apple began manufacturing computers in 1976 and continues to do so today.

② When combined with words like “毎日まいにち” (every day), “毎朝まいあさ” (every morning), “よく” (often), “時々ときどき” (sometimes), or “～ごとに” (every ～), it indicates regularly performed habits.

[Examples]
一いっか月げつに4回かいジムに通かよっています。
I go to the gym four times a month.
⇒ This indicates that going to the gym is a regular habit.

毎朝まいあさ、さんぽしています。
I take a walk every morning.
⇒ This shows that taking a walk is a daily morning routine.

③ It also describes events that occur regularly (e.g., every day, every month) or intermittently (e.g., sometimes, frequently).

[Examples]
最近さいきん、毎月まいつき地震じしんが起おきています。
Recently, earthquakes have been occurring every month.
⇒ This indicates that earthquakes have been occurring repeatedly on a monthly basis.

毎日まいにち雨あめが降ふっているね。
It’s been raining every day.
⇒ This indicates that the rain has been falling continuously.

③ Maintenance of a Changed State

This indicates that a change has occurred, and the resulting state is being maintained.

[Examples]
部屋へやの電気でんきが消きえているか確認かくにんします。
I’ll check if the room’s light is off.
⇒ This indicates that the light was turned off (a change occurred), and that state is continuing.

太ふとっているからダイエットしないといけないです。
I need to go on a diet because I’ve gained weight.
⇒ This shows that gaining weight (a change) has occurred, and its result persists in the present.

④ Experience or Background

① This is used when past experiences or backgrounds are connected to the current situation.

[Examples]
山本やまもとさんはアメリカに留学りゅうがくしていたから、英語えいごがうまいんですよ。
Mr. Yamamoto studied abroad in the United States, so he’s good at English.
⇒ His past experience of studying abroad is connected to his current proficiency in English.

A「子供こどもがうるさくてすみません。」
B「わたしは以前いぜん、幼稚ようち園えんで働はたらいていたんです。だから大丈夫だいじょうぶですよ。」
A: “I’m sorry my kids are being noisy.”
B: “I used to work at a kindergarten, so it’s totally fine.”
⇒ The experience of working at a kindergarten is linked to the ability to handle the current situation.

② Used with frequency expressions such as “～回かい／度ど” or “何なん回かい／度ども,” it indicates experiences or backgrounds involving repeated actions in the past.

[Examples]
あのおじいさんは5回かいも富士ふじ山さんに登のぼっています。
That old man has climbed Mount Fuji five times.

このチームは何なん回かいも優勝ゆうしょうしています。
This team has won the championship many times.

⑤ Existence in a Specific Location

With motion verbs such as “行いく” (to go), “来くる” (to come), and “帰かえる” (to return), it indicates that after moving, the subject is now present in that location.

[Examples]
姉あねはいまアメリカに行いっています。
My sister is currently in America.

友達ともだちがいま家いえへ来きています。
My friend is at my house right now.

ヤンさんは今月こんげつ国くにに帰かえっているそうです。
I heard that Yan has returned to his home country this month.
⇒ All of these indicate the state of being at the destination of movement, represented by “へ” or “に.”

Summary

“〜ている” has meanings beyond the present progressive tense, including the following:

① Resulting state: The result of an event or action that continues into the present.
② Continuation or repetition of a habit: Regular actions or events that occur repeatedly.
③ Maintenance of a changed state: A state resulting from a change that is being maintained.
④ Experience or background: Past experiences or backgrounds that are connected to the present.
⑤ Existence in a specific location: The state of being in a specific place as a result of a motion verb.

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