寝ていました
The English phrase "i was sleeping" is translated into Japanese as 寝ていました.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between describing a completed action and an ongoing state. The phrase 寝ました (i slept) describes a completed action, whereas 寝ていました (i was sleeping) describes an ongoing state or action that was happening at a specific point in time.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase 寝ていました is the polite form, while 寝ていた is the informal version used with friends or family.
Did you know?
- The word 寝る (neru) is used in the expression 寝耳に水 (nemimi ni mizu), which literally means 'water in the ear while sleeping' and is used to describe a total surprise.
- The verb 寝る (to sleep) literally means 'to lie down'. To describe the biological act of being unconscious during sleep, Japanese speakers often use the noun 睡眠 (suimin) or the phrase 眠る (nemuru).
- If you were 'dozing off' rather than deeply sleeping, a Japanese speaker might prefer the verb うとうとする (utouto suru) instead of 寝る.
Examples in context
- すみません、寝ていました。Sumimasen, nete imashita.I am sorry, I was sleeping.
- 電話が鳴りましたが、寝ていました。Denwa ga narimashita ga, nete imashita.The phone rang, but I was sleeping.
- 昨日、昼間に寝ていました。Kinou, hiruma ni nete imashita.Yesterday, I was sleeping during the day.
Example conversation
Yui missed a phone call from Yota.
- 陽太 Yotaどうして電話に出なかったの？Doushite denwa ni denakatta no?Why didn't you answer the phone?
- 結衣 Yuiごめん、寝ていました。Gomen, nete imashita.Sorry, I was sleeping.
- 陽太 Yotaそうだったんだね。Sou datta n da ne.I see, that explains it.
- 結衣 Yuiもう大丈夫です。Mou daijoubu desu.I'm awake now.
