歩いています
aruite imasu
To say "I am walking" in Japanese, you use 歩いています (aruite imasu).
This phrase is used to state that the speaker is currently in the process of walking. It describes an ongoing action in the progressive aspect rather than a habitual action.
Which one should you use?
歩いております uses the humble form of the verb to express the same meaning. In informal settings, you might use 歩いてるよ or 歩いてるんだ to convey the nuance of "I am walking, you know."
How does it change in a sentence?
The negative form of the polite phrase is 歩いていません. The base informal form is 歩いている.
How do you pronounce it?
aruite imasu
Did you know?
- Japanese speakers sometimes use the phrase 歩く to describe a 'walking' dictionary, meaning a person who has an encyclopedic knowledge of a subject.
- The kanji character for 'walk' 歩 is a pictograph showing two footprints, representing the physical act of stepping one foot in front of the other.
- While 歩いています describes the act of walking, Japanese has a specific phrase 歩み寄る which means 'to walk toward' someone, but it is used metaphorically to mean 'reaching a compromise' in an argument.
Examples in context
- お客様と一緒に歩いております。I am walking with a customer.
- 職場で歩いております。I am walking at the workplace.
- 公園で犬と一緒に歩いてるよ。I am walking in the park with a dog.
- 町を散歩してるんだ。I am walking around the town, you know.
- 今、公園を歩いています。Ima, kouen o aruite imasu.I am walking in the park right now.
- 駅に向かって歩いています。Eki ni mukatte aruite imasu.I am walking towards the station.
- ゆっくり歩いています。Yukkuri aruite imasu.I am walking slowly.
Example conversation
陽葵 calls 陽太 on the phone while he is outside.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太さんは今、どこにいますか？Youta-san wa ima, doko ni imasu ka?Youta, where are you right now?
- 陽太 Yota今、道を歩いています。Ima, michi o aruite imasu.I am walking on the street right now.
- 陽葵 Himari危ないですから、気をつけてくださいね。Abunai desu kara, ki o tsukete kudasai ne.Please be careful, because it is dangerous.
- 陽太 Yotaはい、大丈夫ですよ。Hai, daijoubu desu yo.Yes, I am fine.
