Duration & Continuity in Japanese || Using 間 & the て form

Q: How do I express an action that started in the past and is still ongoing?

You can use the ている form of a verb to indicate that an action started in the past and continues to the present. For example, 日本に住んでいる ("I am living in Japan") implies that the action started in the past and is ongoing.

Q: How do I indicate that something happens repeatedly over a period of time?

Use expressions like 毎日 (まいにち) for "every day," 週に (しゅうに) for "per week," or たびに ("each time") along with the verb to show habitual or repeated actions. For example, 毎日運動しています ("I exercise every day").

Q: Can I use the て form with verbs to show continuity?

Yes, chaining verbs in the て form can show a sequence of continuous actions. For example, 朝起きて、ジョギングをして、シャワーを浴びます ("I wake up, go jogging, and take a shower"). -- Learn more about the て form here .

Home A2 Expressing duration and continuity with 間

DURATION & CONTINUITY IN JAPANESE

In Japanese, expressing duration and continuity is essential for describing actions that happen over time, whether ongoing, habitual, or sequential.

By using specific grammar forms like ている and expressions like 間, you can communicate how long actions last and whether they continue into the present or future.

DURATION IN JAPANESE

We start with the duration of time. You have probably learned to tell time with the counters 時 (ji) and 分 (hun).

You can change a time into a duration of time by putting suffix 間 (kan) behind the counters.

PATTERN

Number + 時 / 分 / 秒 + 間

➡️ View the hours

1時間	Ichi jikan	1 hour
2時間	Ni jikan	2 hours
3時間	San jikan	3 hours
4時間	Yo jikan	4 hours
5時間	Go jikan	5 hours
6時間	Roku jikan	6 hours
7時間	Nana jikan	7 hours
8時間	Hachi jikan	8 hours
9時間	Ku jikan	9 hours
10時間	Juu jikan	10 hours

➡️ View the minutes

1分間	Ip pun kan	1 minute
2分間	Ni hun kan	2 minutes
3分間	San pun kan	3 minutes
4分間	Yon hun kan	4 minutes
5分間	Go hun kan	5 minutes
6分間	Rop pun kan	6 minutes
7分間	Nana hun kan	7 minutes
8分間	Hap pun kan	8 minutes
9分間	Kyuu hun kan	9 minutes
10分間	Jup pun kan	10 minutes

➡️ View the seconds

1秒間	Ichi byou kan	1 second
2秒間	Ni byou kan	2 seconds
3秒間	San byou kan	3 seconds
4秒間	Yon byou kan	4 seconds
5秒間	Go byou kan	5 seconds
6秒間	Roku byou kan	6 seconds
7秒間	Nana byou kan	7 seconds
8秒間	Hachi byou kan	8 seconds
9秒間	Kyuu byou kan	9 seconds
10秒間	Juu byou kan	10 seconds

NOTE || You can also use 間 for days, weeks, months, and years following the same rule.

宿題をするのに3時間かかりました。	Shukudai wo suru noni 3 jikan kakari mashita.	I spent 3 hours to finish homework.
高橋さんは同僚を1時間待ちました。	Takahashi san wa douryou wo 1 jikan machi mashita.	Mr. Takahashi waited his colleague for an hour.

View More Examples

6時間でフルマラソンを完走しました。	6 jikan de huru marason wo kansou shimashita.	I finished full marathon in 6 hours.
カップヌードルは3分間待つ必要があります。	Kappu nuudoru wa 3 pun kan matsu hituyou ga arimasu.	You have to wait for 3 minutes to make cup noodle.
30秒間でコメントしてください。	30 byou kan de komento shite kudasai.	Please give your comment in less than 30 seconds.
2日間断食することにしました。	Hutsuka kan danjiki suru koto ni shimashita.	I decided to do the fasting for 2 days.

CONTINUITY IN JAPANESE

To express an ongoing action, you need to turn a verb into the ている form.

PATTERN

Verb + ている form

How to conjugate verbs into the ている form? Use て form verb and add いる to the end.

REVIEW OF THE ている FORM

Dictionary form	て form	ている form
食べる (To eat)	食べて	食べている
飲む (To drink)	飲んで	飲んでいる
読む (To read)	読んで	読んでいる
見る (To see)	見て	見ている
座る (To sit)	座って	座っている
書く (To write)	書いて	書いている
聞く (To listen)	聞いて	聞いている

Let’s see some examples:

私は朝ごはんを食べています。	Watashi wa asa gohan wo tabete imasu.	I am eating breakfast.
友だちとレストランでお酒を飲んでいます。	Tomodachi to resutoran de osake wo nonde imasu.	I am having drink with my friends at restaurant.

View More Examples

お父さんは朝からずっとリビングでテレビを見ています。	Otousan wa asa kara zutto ribingu de terebi wo mite imasu.	My father is continuously watching TV in the living room since morning.
私の家族はこの家に30年間住んでいます。	Watashi no kazoku wa kono ie ni 30 nen kan sunde imasu.	My family is living in this house for 30 years.
私のお母さんは5年間英語を勉強しています。	Watashi no okaasan wa 5 nen kan eigo wo benkyou shite imasu.	My mother is studying English for 5 years.
走っている時には頭の中を空っぽにできます。	Hashitte iru toki niwa atama no naka wo karappo ni dekimasu.	I can empty my mind when I am running.
去年から練習をしています。	Kyonen kara renshuu wo shite imasu.	I am practicing since last year.

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FAQs

How do I express an action that started in the past and is still ongoing?

You can use the ている form of a verb to indicate that an action started in the past and continues to the present. For example, 日本に住んでいる (“I am living in Japan”) implies that the action started in the past and is ongoing.

What is the difference between using 間 and 間に to describe duration?

間 emphasizes the duration of an ongoing action, while 間に is used when a specific event happens during a period of time.

For example, 勉強している間、音楽を聞いています (“While studying, I listen to music”) vs. 勉強している間に友達が来ました (“A friend came while I was studying”).

—

Review how to tell the time in Japanese here.

How do I indicate that something happens repeatedly over a period of time?

Use expressions like 毎日 (まいにち) for “every day,” 週に (しゅうに) for “per week,” or たびに (“each time”) along with the verb to show habitual or repeated actions.

For example, 毎日運動しています (“I exercise every day”).

Can I use the て form with verbs to show continuity?

Yes, chaining verbs in the て form can show a sequence of continuous actions.

For example, 朝起きて、ジョギングをして、シャワーを浴びます (“I wake up, go jogging, and take a shower”).

—

Learn more about the て form here.