Introduction
In this blog, we’ll learn how paired intransitive verbs behave when combined with ている (te iru). It’s essential to understand the difference between describing actions in progress and states that result from a change.
What It Means
When followed by ている (te iru):
- Transitive verbs indicate actions in progress.
- Intransitive verbs indicate the resulting state after a change occurs.
For example:
- マリアさんは窓を開けています。
(Maria-san wa mado o aketeimasu.)
Maria is opening the window. (Action in progress) - 窓が開いています。
(Mado ga aiteimasu.)
The window is open. (Resulting state)
When You Use It
Use ている (te iru) with transitive verbs when you want to express that the action is currently happening.
Use ている (te iru) with intransitive verbs to describe a state that exists as a result of the change.
Examples
- りくさんは電気を消しています。
(Riku-san wa denki o keshiteimasu.)
Riku is turning off the light. (Action in progress)
電気が消えています。
(Denki ga kieteimasu.)
The light is off. (Resulting state) - 父がパソコンを壊しています。
(Chichi ga pasokon o kowashiteimasu.)
My dad is breaking the computer. (Action in progress)
パソコンが壊れています。
(Pasokon ga kowareteimasu.)
The computer is broken. (Resulting state)
Note
Remember, ている (te iru) has different meanings based on the type of verb. For activity verbs , it describes actions in progress, while for change verbs, it refers to the state that follows the change. For more details on activity verbs and change verbs, see Genki Grammar #39: Mastering -teiru (Action in Progress).
Conclusion
Understanding how ている (te iru) changes the meaning of transitive and intransitive verbs helps you express actions and states more accurately.
Recommended Resources
For a deeper understanding of Paired Intransitive Verbs + ている, I recommend “A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar“. The book provides clear and detailed explanations in the section “iru2”, where it discusses the different uses of ている based on verb type.
