Grammar JLPT Level N5 - Lesson 10

ている is a construction used in Japanese to convey that someone or something is existing in a constant state of 'doing' the verb that comes before て. In English, depending on the verb, this can be translated as 'is (A)', 'am (A), or 'are (A)~ing'. The expression is made by adding いる to the て form of either る-Verbs, or う-Verbs.

• シャンプーは何(なに)を使(つか)っているの？
  What shampoo are you using?
• 今(いま)ラーメンを食(た)べています。
  I am eating ramen now.

Due to いる being one of the verbs for 'existing' in Japanese, the ている form means something closer to 'continuing to exist in a specific state', rather than (A)~ing in English. This is why verbs like 死(し)ぬ, and 知(し)る, appear as the ている form in Japanese, when they would appear as the past form in English.

• お前(まえ)はもう死(し)んでいる。
  You are already dead.
• この人(ひと)誰(だれ)か知(し)っている？
  Do you know who this is?