Lesson 7

1. ～ている

The て-form of a verb with the helping verb いる can mean 2 things:
a.) an action in progress
b.) state/a past action that is connected to the present

In general, to determine the meaning of the verb in its ている form, you can check by using a phrase
describing duration.

Example:　私はきのう 本を一時間よみました。(I read a book for an hour yesterday.)

Note: おきる、いく、かえる、くる、わかる、でかける、のる、すわる、しぬ、けす、わす
れる、かりる、おりる、もってくる、つれてくる、けっこんする、ふとる、やせる、きる in
their ている forms denote an action connected to the present.

� いく＆来る do not denote an action in progress.

Example: 中国に行っています。(Somebody has gone to /is in China)
　　うちに来ています。(Somebody has come over to visit).
� ている verbs conjugate like a る-verb.

2. Body Parts　

Example: トムさんはかみがながいです。(Tom has long hair.)

3. て-forms of い-adj、な-adj and nouns

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Example: あのみせのたべものはやすくておいしいです。(The food at that shop over there
is
inexpensive and delicious.)
このホテルはきれいでしずかです。
山下先生はにほんじんで五十歳ぐらいです。

4. Purpose of Movement

When you want to go/come/return to a place to do something, you use the pattern:

Example: 私はデパートにかばんを買いに行きました。(I went to a dep’t store to buy a bag.)

メアリーさんは日本に日本語をべんきょうしに着ました。

5. Counting People

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 To count for people in a class for instance, you can add ~人 after the noun and particle が.

Example: 私のクラスに（は）スウェーデン人の学生が一人います。(There is one Swedish

student in the class).

The place expressions are often followed by には instead of に in this type of sentence.

表現ノート (Expression Notes)

I. あそぶ
� あそぶ means “to play”, “to spend time leisurely” or “to pay a social call.”
� To play sports, games or musical instruments require different verbs.
II. しる vs.わかる
If you do not know the answer the question, but you should have thought about it, it’s
better to answer わかりません instead of しりません. しりません on these cases is
inappropriate because it gives the impression that your ignorance is none of the inquirer’s
business.

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