How do you use the ている form?
I am learning the ている　form in class and I am a little confused between the difference between this and the plain ますform. (We have only learnt the polite form)

I was told that theている can be used to indicate current progressive action.

So is it like the -ing in english? For example: りんごを食べています　I am eating an Apple

But can you also use it to describe doing something in the past? Because in my textbook it asks me to use the ている to translate the following sentence

"Takeshi was playing tennis with a friend."
たけしさんはともだちとテニスをしていました。

Would that be correct?

Is it also correct if I wrote it like this?
Takeshi played tennis with a friend
,たけしさんはともだちとテニスをしました。

Sorry for the confusing question ^~^

Question

How do you use the ている form?
I am learning the ている　form in class and I am a little confused between the difference between this and the plain ますform. (We have only learnt the polite form)

I was told that theている can be used to indicate current progressive action.

So is it like the -ing in english? For example:  りんごを食べています　I am eating an Apple

But can you also use it to describe doing something in the past? Because in my textbook it asks me to use the ている to translate the following sentence

"Takeshi was playing tennis with a friend." 
たけしさんはともだちとテニスをしていました。

Would that be correct?

Is it also correct if I wrote it like this?
Takeshi played tennis with a friend
,たけしさんはともだちとテニスをしました。

Sorry for the confusing question ^~^

Answer

Oh thank you very much. ^~^

Answer

Hi! I am a native Japanese speaker. 
I think you understood it right. います can be translated into "~ing," and いました would be "was ~ing. "

Answer

Hi. I'm sorry but it's not an answer to the question.
When I learn English progressive form, I was told the same as you.

Takeshi was playing tennis with a friend.
Takeshi played tennis with a friend.
How do you think what difference there are between those two sentences?
I mean when native English speaker see those two sentence, how do they distinguish the situation?

I think the way of thinking progressive form in English is the same as that in Japanese.
Sorry for my poor English:(

Answers · 3

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