This is a short way to say "~te iru" or "~de iru." It means something is happening now or a state continues.
Verb [て-form] + るPrimary
This is a short way to say "~te iru" or "~de iru." It means something is happening now or a state continues.
まだ宿題、終わってないんだ。
I haven't finished my homework yet.
昨日、一日中ゲームしてた。
Yesterday, I was playing games all day long.
あそこに座ってる人が田中さんだよ。
The person sitting over there is Mr. Tanaka.
すみません、道に迷ってるんですが、駅はどっちですか？
Excuse me, I'm lost; which way is the station?
This is like saying "gonna" instead of "going to." It makes your speech sound more natural and quick.
This is different from "~te iru" because "~te iru" can be used in formal talk. You can use "~te iru" when you write. But "~teru" is only for casual talking. Do not use "~teru" in formal situations. Do not write "~teru" in messages or letters.
Don't use this when you write formal things. For example, don't use it in a school essay or a work email. It will sound too casual.
Less formal alternatives(1)
Dialect / slang variants(1)
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