て-いる (Te-iru): Progressive, Habitual & Resultant States
て-いる (ている) is the most common auxiliary structure in Japanese. It expresses ongoing actions, resultant states, habitual facts, and occupations — but the same form covers all three meanings, which trips up every learner.
Progressive: an action happening right now
When an action verb combines with ている, it describes something actively happening at the moment of speaking.
Resultant state: the effect of a completed action
With verbs that describe instantaneous change (like 結婚する, 死ぬ, 着る), ている describes the resulting state, not an ongoing process.
Habitual fact and occupation
ている also describes repeated habits or ongoing roles such as jobs and activities.
て-いる vs て-ある: key contrast
てある describes a state that exists because someone deliberately did something — it emphasises human agency and resultant state. ている is neutral about who caused the state.
Common mistakes
結婚しています → "She is getting married right now"
Right結婚しています → "She is married" (resultant state)
With change-of-state verbs like 結婚する, 死ぬ, 着る, ている expresses the resulting state, not the process. "Getting married right now" would require special context.
ている for deliberate advance preparation
RightUse てある for deliberate preparation
「準備している」means "I am preparing right now". 「準備してある」means "preparations have been made (by me, in advance)". The distinction matters for nuance.
毎日走ってる → "I am running" (right now)
Right毎日走っている → "I run every day" (habit)
Context determines meaning. 毎日 (every day) signals habit. Without context markers, ている for habitual facts can be ambiguous — use frequency adverbs to clarify.
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What does て-いる mean in Japanese?
ている (te-iru) has three main meanings: (1) progressive — an action happening right now; (2) resultant state — the outcome of a completed action still in effect; (3) habitual/ongoing — a repeated action or occupational role. Context and verb type determine which meaning applies.
What is the difference between ている and てある?
ている is neutral — it describes an ongoing action or resultant state without implying who caused it. てある specifically describes a state created by deliberate human action: 窓が開いている (the window is open) vs 窓が開けてある (the window has been opened [by someone, on purpose]). てある often carries the nuance of preparation.
Why does 結婚しています mean "is married" and not "is getting married"?
結婚する is an instantaneous action verb — the act of marrying happens in a moment. When such verbs combine with ている, the form describes the resulting state after the action, not the process. This pattern applies to: 死ぬ (is dead), 着る (is wearing), 知る (knows), 住む (lives/resides).