Te-form+いる

Meaning 1) Progressive tense – currently doing  ている (te iru)

This is the most basic meaning, which shows that you are currently doing something at this
moment.

Example 1.1)

昼ご飯を食べている。

hiru gohan o tabe teiru.

currently eating lunch now.

Example 1.2) Negative form

宿題をやっていない。

shukudai o yatte inai.

currently not doing homework.

ていない is the negative version of ている.

Example 1.3) Polite form

お母さんと電話をしています。

okaasan to denwa o shite imasu.

I am currently on the phone with my mom.

ています is the more polite version of ている.

Meaning 2) Continuous – have been doing

This meaning shows that you are currently doing something and have been doing so up until
now.

Example 2.1)

先生の話を聞いているの？

sensei no hanashi o kiite iru no?

Are you listening to what the teacher is saying?

Have you been listening to what the teacher is saying?

Example 2.2)

5 年間日本語を勉強しています。

go nenkan nihongo o benkyou shite imasu.

I have been studying Japanese for 5 years.

Meaning 3) Present situation – what you do now

This meaning shows what you are doing now in general, not just this particular moment.

Example 3.1)

面白い本を読んでいる。

omoshiroi hon o yonde iru.

I am reading (currently or in general) an interesting book.

This example can either mean currently at this particular moment or currently as in “lately”. It
depends on the context of the conversation.

Example 3.2)

日本で日本語を勉強しています。

nihon de nihongo o benkyou shite imasu.

I am studying Japanese in Japan.

This example is more obvious that it is not just in this particular moment, but rather
describing one’s current situation.

Meaning 4) Habitual / frequent actions

This meaning shows habitual behavior or can be used when talking about something that
frequently happens.

Example 4.1) いるーいます

毎日、寝る前にマンガを読んでいる。

mainichi, neru mae ni manga o yonde iru.

I read manga every day before I sleep.

Example 4.2)

いつも自転車で通勤している。

itsumo jitensha de tsukin shite iru.

I always commute by bicycle.

Meaning 5) State / condition / appearance of subject

This can be used to describe the current state of something, what something looks like, or
that something was left in a certain state.

Example 5.1)

彼はお父さんと似ている。

kare wa otou-san to nite iru.

He looks (seems) like his father.

Example 5.2)

ドアが開いている。

doa ga aite iru.

The door has been left open.

This translates to the door is open, but the focus is also on the fact that the door has been
left open.

Example 5.3)

今日は食堂がとても混んでいる。

kyou wa shokudou ga totemo konde iru.

The cafeteria is very crowded today.

Note that this example (and others) may cross over multiple categories. This is the same as
the progressive tense, that it is “currently” crowded, but at the same time this is also
describing the state of something, so it applies to both meanings.