JLPT N3ContractionSpoken

Furigana

てる・てた・てます・てましたConversational contractions of ongoing and resulting states

In conversation, the い in ている and でいる is very often dropped. The shorter form keeps the same meaning, tense, negative status, and level of politeness as the full form.

How the contraction works

First make the full form, then remove only the い. After that, the remaining る changes normally for past, negative, or polite forms. For example, 書かいている becomes 書かいてる, and 読よんでいた becomes 読よんでた.

The meaning comes from the full form

The contraction itself adds no new meaning. Expand it back to the full form and interpret that form in context: it may describe an action in progress, a resulting state, or a habit.

今いま、駅えきに向むかってる。

I'm heading to the station now.

An action currently in progress.

もう窓まどが閉しまってるよ。

The window is already closed.

A present state resulting from an earlier change.

毎まい朝あさ、出しゅっ勤きん前まえに走はしってる。

I run every morning before work.

A repeated habit, not necessarily something happening now.

Past, negative, and polite forms

Dropping the vowel does not erase the distinctions carried by the ending.

昨日きのうの夜よる、何なにしてた？

What were you doing last night?

まだ予よ定ていは決きまってない。

The plans haven't been decided yet.

お客きゃく様さまはロビーで待まってます。

The customer is waiting in the lobby.

This remains polite, though it is more conversational than 待まっています.

以い前ぜんは大おお阪さかに住すんでました。

I used to live in Osaka.

Do not confuse it with the preparation contraction

The short forms taught here come from ている or でいる and describe an ongoing action, state, or habit. By contrast, とく and どく shorten a different construction and commonly express doing something in advance or leaving it in a useful state.

会かい議ぎの資し料りょう、今いま読よんでる。

I'm reading the meeting materials now.

会かい議ぎの資し料りょう、先さきに読よんどく。

I'll read the meeting materials in advance.

More examples

弟おとうとは今いま、シャワーを浴あびてる。

My younger brother is taking a shower now.

このパソコン、壊こわれてるみたい。

This computer seems to be broken.

最さい近きん、毎まい晩ばん日にっ記きを書かいてる。

Lately, I've been writing in my diary every night.

朝あさから何なにも食たべてない。

I haven't eaten anything since this morning.

さっきまでそこで待まってた。

I was waiting there until a little while ago.

先せん生せいはもう教きょう室しつに来きてます。

The teacher is already in the classroom.

子こどものころ、この公こう園えんでよく遊あそんでました。

When I was a child, I often played in this park.