How to Say ‘Am doing / am working on’ in Japanese
をしています
o shi te i masu
[oh shee teh ee mahss]
💬 Usage Tip: [をしています] shows an ongoing action. In [プロジェクトをしています], it means [I’m working on a project].
🇯🇵 In Japan: This soft, explanatory phrasing helps you sound less abrupt when approaching strangers.
Phrase Breakdown
を
o
[oh]
object marker
A particle marking the direct object of a verb.
しゃしんをとります。
I take a photo.
し
shi
[shee]
do
The stem of する, meaning to do. Here it is part of しています.
し、はするのますのまえのかたちです。
“Shi” is the form before masu of suru.
て
te
[teh]
te-form connector
The て form connects to other parts of the verb. Here it joins し and います.
て、はどうしをつなげます。
“Te” connects parts of a verb.
い
i
[ee]
be
From いる. In しています, it helps show an ongoing action or current state.
い、はいますのはじめのぶぶんです。
“I” is the first part of imasu.
ます
masu
[mahss]
polite ending
A polite verb ending used in everyday formal speech.
ます、をつけるとていねいです。
Adding “masu” makes it polite.
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