ている・
One form for actions, states, and habits
ている presents a situation as holding over a span of time. With an activity, that may be an action in progress; with a change, it may be the state left afterward; with repeated events, it may be an established habit. The verb and the surrounding time context—not the form alone—choose the reading.
Ask what kind of situation holds
Start with the meaning of the verb, then look for time and recurrence cues.
An activity is unfolding
activity verb + ている
Someone is in the middle of an action at the relevant time.
A word meaning “now” is helpful but not required if the situation already makes the time clear.
A change has produced a state
change-of-state verb + ている
The change has already happened and its result still holds.
Natural English often uses a simple state such as “is open,” “is broken,” or “knows.”
An action forms a recurring pattern
repeated action + ている
The action happens repeatedly as a routine, schedule, or established practice.
A frequency phrase or broader time frame usually makes repetition clear.
The same present-time setting, two different readings
Someone describes what is true at this moment.
今、父は居間で新聞を読んでいる。
My father is reading the newspaper in the living room now.
AnalyzeReading is an activity with duration, so this presents the action in progress.
今、店のドアが閉まっている。
The shop door is closed now.
AnalyzeThe closing has already occurred; the sentence describes the state that remains.
Takeaway: A present-time cue does not force an “is doing” translation. Ask whether the verb describes an activity unfolding or a change whose result now holds.
One verb, one moment or many occasions
The activity is running, but the time expression changes how the same form is understood.
今、川沿いを走っている。
I am running along the river now.
AnalyzeThis is one action underway at the present moment.
毎週日曜日に川沿いを走っている。
I run along the river every Sunday.
AnalyzeThe weekly expression turns the activity into an established recurring pattern.
Takeaway: Immediate-time cues favor an action-in-progress reading; frequency expressions favor a habitual reading.
States that should not be translated progressively
Some common verbs regularly describe an established state in this form.
A habit can also use simple nonpast
Simple nonpast can state a routine too. Habitual ている often presents that routine as a practice already established and continuing through the current period. This is a tendency rather than a rigid contrast, so clear frequency and time expressions matter more than trying to force a sharp English difference.
この学期は毎週水曜日に図書館で勉強している。
This term, I study at the library every Wednesday.
AnalyzeThe term and weekly schedule present this as a currently established practice.
Time and politeness do not change the basic decision
The part corresponding to いる carries past time, negative form, and politeness. A past form may therefore mean “was doing,” “was in that state,” or “used to do regularly,” depending on the same verb-and-context test. Negative and polite forms preserve the same three-way distinction.
More examples across the family
今、姉は台所でスープを作っている。
My older sister is making soup in the kitchen now.
Analyze玄関の電気が消えている。
The entrance light is off.
Analyze祖母は毎週土曜日に市場で野菜を買っている。
My grandmother buys vegetables at the market every Saturday.
Analyze昨夜十時には、まだ会社で働いていた。
At ten last night, I was still working at the office.
Analyze朝早く行くと、正門はまだ閉まっていた。
When I went early in the morning, the main gate was still closed.
Analyze最近は平日に肉を食べていない。
Lately, I have not been eating meat on weekdays.
Analyze私はその店の場所を知っています。
I know where that shop is.
Analyze