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Lesson 29 — 自動詞じどうし+ ています · てしまいます

BOOK II · 初級 II みんなの日本語 · Mini no Nihongo

L29 · ています · てしまいます

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REF自動詞じどうし+ ています · てしまいます

1. 〜ています — resulting state (intransitive verbs)

With intransitive change-of-state verbs, ています describes the state that resulted.

EventResulting state

Transitive / intransitive pairs — memorize these

Transitive (someone does it) をIntransitive (it happens) が

Intransitive-only (no pair needed here)

割われます折おれます破やぶれます外はずれますずれます混こみますすきます

2. 〜てしまいました — two meanings

MeaningSignalExample
completion (all done)
regret / mishap

(regret)

(completion)

Non-past 〜てしまいます

— will finish it off. Casual contraction: 〜てしまう → 〜ちゃう · 〜でしまう → 〜じゃう (忘わすれちゃった · 飲のんじゃった).

3. 覚おぼえています / 忘わすれました

Like 知しっています (L15), 覚おぼえます takes the ています form for the ongoing state: ↔ .

Set expressions会話かいわ

Key vocabulary

開あきます閉しまりますつきます消きえます壊こわれます割われます折おれます破やぶれます汚よごれます止とまります外はずれます混こみますすきます間違まちがえます落おとします忘わすれます覚おぼえています片かたづけます財布さいふ枝えだ紙袋かみぶくろ忘わすれ物ものごみうっかりつい

詳説 In depth — grammar notes

Transitive and intransitive — the split that runs through this lesson

Japanese usually has two verbs where English has one. One says somebody acted on something (transitive, takes を); the other says the thing did it by itself (intransitive, takes が).

他動詞たどうし transitive自動詞じどうし intransitive
particle
who actsa personnobody — it just happens
example
て+いる meansthe action is in progressthe resulting state continues

This is the whole lesson in one line: on a transitive verb = doing it now; on an intransitive verb = it is (still) in that state. = someone is opening the window. = the window is open.

〜ています — a state that is still true

JapaneseEnglish
The light is on.
The window is shut.
The air conditioner is broken.
The branch is snapped.
It's locked.
The road is congested.

English uses an adjective ("the light is on", "it's broken"); Japanese uses a verb in the て-form plus います. If your English translation is "is + adjective" and the thing did it by itself, reach for an intransitive verb + ています.

The pairs worth memorising

Learn them in pairs and the particle takes care of itself.

Transitive をIntransitive がMeaning
open
close
switch on / come on
turn off / go out
put in / go in
take out / come out
break
smash / shatter
drop / fall
stop something / stop
begin something / begin
line up something / queue
gather things / gather

Watch the readings, not just the kanji: vs , vs . Same character, different verb.

Intransitive-only, no pair needed

こみますすきます直なおります汚よごれます破やぶれます

〜てしまいました — two very different feelings

The same form does "finished it off" and "oh no". Word choice around it tells you which.

SenseSignal wordsExampleEnglish
completionI've finished all the homework.
regretI've gone and lost my passport.
JapaneseEnglish
I've already read this book (start to finish).
I stupidly left my umbrella on the train.
I dropped the glass and broke it.

Non-past 〜てしまいます

Still one of the two senses, just not yet done: "I'll get it done" or "I'm going to end up …".

JapaneseEnglish
I'll have the report written by noon.
If we don't hurry the last train will go (and leave us).

In speech てしまう contracts: → , → . · . Understand it; write the full form.

覚えています vs 忘れました

JapaneseEnglishNote
I remember (state)never for "I remember now"
I don't remembernot
I forgota completed event, so plain past
it has slipped my mindrarer, a lingering state

The asymmetry is the exam trap: remembering is a state (ています) but forgetting is an event (ました). is not the normal way to say "I forgot".

Error table

✕○Why
が pairs with the intransitive verb
state = intransitive + ています
てしまう attaches to the て-form
remembering is a state

Try translating

EnglishJapanese
The window is open.
Someone is opening the window.
The light in the meeting room is on.
My computer is broken.
I've already eaten lunch.
I left my umbrella on the train.
Do you remember his name?

練習 Practice — 9 questions

  1. Q1 trans/intrans

    Pick the TRANSITIVE partner of 閉しまります.

    閉
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    A 閉しめます (someone closes it) / 閉しまります (it closes)
  2. Q2 trans/intrans

    Pick the INTRANSITIVE partner of入いれます.

    入 はい
    り
    ま
    す
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B 入いれます(put in) /入はいります(goes in)
  3. Q3 intransitive state

    'The window is open.' (state)

    開 あ
    く
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    A Intransitive開あく+ ています = resulting state
  4. Q4 intransitive state

    'The light is off.'

    消 き
    え
    る
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B 消きえる (intrans.) + ています
  5. Q5 trans/intrans pairs

    Pick the INTRANSITIVE of the pair.

    壊
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B 壊こわします (someone breaks it) / 壊こわれます (it breaks)
  6. Q6 state

    'This chair is broken.'

    椅子 いす
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B 壊こわれて+います = is in a broken state
  7. Q7 regret

    'I (unfortunately) lost my passport.'

    し
    ま
    う
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    A て-form + しまいました = regret/oops
  8. Q8 completion

    'I already finished writing the report (completely).'

    し
    ま
    う
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    A Completion sense of てしまいました
  9. Q9 future completion

    'I'll finish writing it all by lunch.'

    し
    ま
    う
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    A てしまいます (non-past) = will finish it off

解答 Answer key

  1. Q1 A 閉しめます (someone closes it) / 閉しまります (it closes)
  2. Q2 B 入いれます(put in) /入はいります(goes in)
  3. Q3 A Intransitive開あく+ ています = resulting state
  4. Q4 B 消きえる (intrans.) + ています
  5. Q5 B 壊こわします (someone breaks it) / 壊こわれます (it breaks)
  6. Q6 B 壊こわれて+います = is in a broken state
  7. Q7 A て-form + しまいました = regret/oops
  8. Q8 A Completion sense of てしまいました
  9. Q9 A てしまいます (non-past) = will finish it off