Doing and done

Stage 1Grammar patterns as vocabularyChunk 15 of 26 · items 65–68 of 484

Four -te auxiliaries that set the shape of an action: ongoing, tried out, finished, done ahead.

Mix-ups

-teru, -chau and -toku are all short contractions on the same -te form; key on the ending: -teru ongoing, -chatta finished, -toku done ahead. Don't mix -toku with -teku (-te iku): kaitoku vs kaiteku. -te miru stays apart as 'try and see'.

-teru

polite -temasudrama rank #720*

is doing / is in a state

〜てるPlay 〜てますPlay

Attaches to the -te form for an ongoing action (tabeteru), a resulting state (kekkon shiteru, shitteru) or a habit; it is the casual contraction of -te iru.

casualPlay

ima repooto kaiteru.

I'm writing a report right now.

今レポート書いてる。

politePlay

ima repooto kaitemasu.

I'm writing a report right now.

今レポート書いてます。

With change verbs it's a state, not progress: kekkon shiteru = is married. Trap: the negative of shitteru is shiranai, not *shittenai.

Learn alongside: -chau, -tokuLearn first: -te

-te miru

polite -te mimasudrama rank #1530*

try (and see)

〜てみるPlay 〜てみますPlay

Attaches to the -te form to try something out and see how it goes (tabete miru, kiite miru), which also softens plans and suggestions.

casualPlay

jaa, tabete miru.

OK, I'll give it a try.

じゃあ、食べてみる。

politePlay

jaa, tabete mimasu.

OK, I'll give it a try.

じゃあ、食べてみます。

Not 'attempt and fail': you actually do it to find out.

Learn first: -te

-chau

polite -chaimasudrama rank #1985*

end up / do completely

〜ちゃうPlay 〜ちゃいますPlay

Contracted -te shimau, marking something done completely, often with regret or an 'oops' (wasurechatta, tabechatta); -nde verbs take -jau (nonjatta).

casualPlay

repooto, mou kaichatta.

I've already finished the report.

レポート、もう書いちゃった。

politePlay

repooto, mou kaichaimashita.

I've already finished the report.

レポート、もう書いちゃいました。

The regret reading is the everyday one: saifu wasurechatta = I forgot my wallet (ugh). Not -cha (= -te wa): kaetchau = I'll end up going home, kaetcha dame = you can't go home. -chaimashita is friendly-polite; with superiors or strangers use -te shimaimashita.

Learn alongside: -teru, -tokuLearn first: -te, -ta

-toku

polite -tokimasudrama rank #1215*

do in advance; leave it

〜とくPlay 〜ときますPlay

Contracted -te oku, for doing something now so it's ready later (kattoku) or leaving it as it is (sono mama ni shitoite); -nde verbs take -doku (yondoku).

casualPlay

repooto, saki ni kaitoku.

I'll get the report written first.

レポート、先に書いとく。

politePlay

repooto, saki ni kaitokimasu.

I'll get the report written first.

レポート、先に書いときます。

Not -teku (-te iku): kaitoku = write it now so it's done, kaiteku = write it before heading off. Past -toita (kaitoita) sits close to -teta (kaiteta); listen for the o.

Learn alongside: -teru, -chauLearn first: -te