What you are doing and what you can do
Separate ています from ability expressions.
What you’ll work on
- Describe an action in progress
- Recognize a resulting state with ています
- Express ability with a dictionary form and ことができます
A short conversation
Google voice when available; device voice as a fallback. Kana readings help you read the written words; they do not show pitch accent.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- いま、imanow
- なにnaniwhat
- をoobject markerPronounced o. Marks what the action acts on; English usually has no separate word for it.
- していますshiteimasube doing (polite)
- か。kaquestion markerMakes the sentence a question; English often changes its word order instead.
ています expresses an action in progress here. English adds “are you” and changes the question’s word order.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- ほんhonbook
- をoobject markerPronounced o. Marks what the action acts on; English usually has no separate word for it.
- よんでいます。yondeimasube reading (polite)
The subject is understood from context in Japanese. English adds “I”, “you”, or “we” as needed. Match meaningful word groups, not individual characters.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- にほんごnihongoJapanese language
- のnolinking particleLinks the following noun to the preceding word; its English wording depends on the relationship.
- ほんhonbook
- をoobject markerPronounced o. Marks what the action acts on; English usually has no separate word for it.
- よむことができますyomukotogadekimasucan readVerb + ことができます expresses ability; the English subject is supplied by context.
- か。kaquestion markerMakes the sentence a question; English often changes its word order instead.
The subject is understood from context in Japanese. English adds “I”, “you”, or “we” as needed. Match meaningful word groups, not individual characters.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- かんたんなkantannasimple / easy (before a noun)
- ほんhonbook
- をoobject markerPronounced o. Marks what the action acts on; English usually has no separate word for it.
- よむことができます。yomukotogadekimasucan readVerb + ことができます expresses ability; the English subject is supplied by context.
The subject is understood from context in Japanese. English adds “I”, “you”, or “we” as needed. Match meaningful word groups, not individual characters.
ている depends on the verb
Add います to a て-form for a polite ています expression. With 読む it can describe an action in progress: 読んでいます, am reading. The plain version is 読んでいる.
The same pattern can describe a resulting state or a habit. 結婚しています means is married, and 住んでいます means lives in a place. Do not translate every ています as English “is doing,” or every English present as a Japanese nonpast.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- いま、imanow
- ごはんgohanmeal / cooked rice
- をoobject markerPronounced o. Marks what the action acts on; English usually has no separate word for it.
- たべています。tabeteimasube eating (polite)
ご飯 means a meal here. The natural English “I am eating” leaves the meal implicit; Japanese leaves “I” implicit.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- とうきょうtoukyouTokyo
- にnilocation marker
- すんでいます。sundeimasulive (ongoing state, polite)
“I” is understood from context. There is no written word for “I” in this Japanese sentence.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- けっこんしています。kekkonshiteimasube married (resulting state)ている describes the resulting state here, not an action happening now.
The subject is understood from context in Japanese. English adds “I”, “you”, or “we” as needed. Match meaningful word groups, not individual characters.
A useful ability pattern
Dictionary form + ことができます expresses being able to do something: 泳ぐことができます, can swim. The verb stays in the dictionary form before こと, even in a polite sentence.
Japanese also has potential verb forms: 読む → 読める, 食べる → 食べられる, する → できる, 来る → 来られる. Learn these with the verb library. This lesson practices the longer ことができます pattern first.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- およぐoyoguswim
- ことができます。kotogadekimasucan / be able to (polite)こと turns the action into a noun-like phrase; ができます expresses ability.
“I” is understood from context here; there is no written Japanese word for it in this sentence.
How the words match
Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.
- くるまkurumacar
- をoobject markerPronounced o. Marks what the action acts on; English usually has no separate word for it.
- うんてんすることができます。untensurukotogadekimasucan drive
The subject is understood from context in Japanese. English adds “I”, “you”, or “we” as needed. Match meaningful word groups, not individual characters.
Lesson vocabulary
Listen once, say it aloud, and try to recall the Japanese before looking.
| Japanese / reading | English | Listen |
|---|---|---|
| 今 いま | now | |
| 住む すむ | to live / reside (godan) | |
| 結婚する けっこんする | to marry (する compound) | |
| 簡単 かんたん | simple (な-adjective) | |
| 泳ぐ およぐ | to swim (godan) | |
| 運転する うんてんする | to drive (する compound) |
Practice questions
Try every question, then check your answers. Punctuation and spacing do not affect your score. Use the displayed Japanese spelling or the complete kana reading; mixed spellings are accepted only when explicitly listed. Long vowels, small kana, and verb endings matter.
Showing an answer makes that question a practice item worth zero for this attempt. Retry with the answers hidden when you’re ready. If audio cannot play, use Show answer / text to practice by reading.
Independent practice
These are independent practice tasks. The site does not record your voice, save your writing, or grade open-ended answers. Ask a teacher or conversation partner for feedback when you can.
Speaking practice
Describe what you are doing now, then say two things you can do.
Writing practice
Write one action-in-progress sentence and one residence sentence with ています. Explain their different meanings in English.
Review the lesson objectives
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