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StudyJapanese Team
To describe an event that is presently happening or not happening, use the appropriate form of the verb iru or imasu after the -te form.
ともこさんはいまなにをしていますか。
Tomoko san wa ima nani o shite imasu ka.
What is Tomoko doing at the moment?
その会社でもう働いていません。今銀行で働いています。
Sono kaisha de mou hataraite imasen. Ima ginkou de hataraite imasu.
I don't work at that company any more. Now I am working at a bank.
今英語を勉強していません。
Ima eigo o benkyou shite imasen.
I am not studying English now.
Past Progressive
The past progressive is formed by using the -te formed followed by the past or the past negative.
トラコが椅子の上で寝ていました。
Torako ga isu no ue de nete imashita.
Torako was sleeping on the chair.
昨日の晩私はテレビを見ていませんでした。 Kinou no ban watashi wa terebi o mite imasen deshita.
I wasn't watching television last night.
This page is a part of "Some Notes on
Japanese Grammar" published for your personal use, with the kind
permission of Keith Smillie (http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~smillie/)
Comments (3)
Written by tony, on 02-11-2008 23:14 "I'm not working at that company any more" is indeed an alternate possible translation in English. But I don't think the translation given is incorrect.
I assume the intent of the person who wrote this page (not me) was to indicate that even though either tense might be used for this sentence in English, it is more natural to use "hataraite imasen" in Japanese than to use "hatarakimasen." If this is in fact true, then giving the slightly more natural English translation actually conveys more information than giving a more literal translation.
Written by Hyourinmaru, on 02-11-2008 22:55 Error in translation on part 2. "don't work at that company any more" Should be, (for referance reasons) isn't workING at the company anymore. Since this is a progressive form after all, implying the use of an -ing form. Unless I'm overanalysing it, not that it matters that much to people familiar with the rules, just noting an observation.
It's too hard to understand... Written by freakbreak, on 18-07-2008 06:51 Ufs.. it's not too easy for the beginner like me, eh?
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Comments (3)
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