In English, words that end in ~ing can be classified in two ways:
A) Present participle: To denote continuous action. E.g.
He is painting.
She was eating.
I would have been leaving.
B) Gerund
This is when a verb is used like a noun E.g.
Driving too fast is dangerous.
Walking is good for you.
Your singing is lovely.
I know that imasu in Japanese is the polite from of "to be" for living things, but is often used as the equivalent of ~ing. Can it therefore be classified as "Present participle" or "Gerund"?
For example, would the following be "Present participle"
mite imasu I am watching
Nihongo o benkyou shite imasu. I am studying Japanese
Watashi wa yūchūbu de nihongo o benkyō shite imasu I am learning Japanese on YouTube
housou sarete imasu. Broadcasting
And would the following be "Gerund"?
Doko ni sunde imasu ka? Where do you live?
Karera o totemo aishite imasu. I love them so much!
Itsumo harete imasu. It is always sunny.
Shigoto wa nani o shite imasuka? As for your job, what is it that you are doing?
Ryoushin wa issho ni hataraite imasu. My parents work together.
If this isn't correct, then what is the correct way of classifying the different forms of imasu? How would they classify them in Japanese?
Thanks!
A) Present participle: To denote continuous action. E.g.
He is painting.
She was eating.
I would have been leaving.
B) Gerund
This is when a verb is used like a noun E.g.
Driving too fast is dangerous.
Walking is good for you.
Your singing is lovely.
I know that imasu in Japanese is the polite from of "to be" for living things, but is often used as the equivalent of ~ing. Can it therefore be classified as "Present participle" or "Gerund"?
For example, would the following be "Present participle"
mite imasu I am watching
Nihongo o benkyou shite imasu. I am studying Japanese
Watashi wa yūchūbu de nihongo o benkyō shite imasu I am learning Japanese on YouTube
housou sarete imasu. Broadcasting
And would the following be "Gerund"?
Doko ni sunde imasu ka? Where do you live?
Karera o totemo aishite imasu. I love them so much!
Itsumo harete imasu. It is always sunny.
Shigoto wa nani o shite imasuka? As for your job, what is it that you are doing?
Ryoushin wa issho ni hataraite imasu. My parents work together.
If this isn't correct, then what is the correct way of classifying the different forms of imasu? How would they classify them in Japanese?
Thanks!
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