寝ている
neteiru
In Japanese, the English phrase "sleeping" is expressed as 寝ている (neteiru).
The term is used to describe someone who is currently in the act of sleeping or to describe something used to produce sleep.
Meaning: used for sleep, used to produce sleep (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The form 寝ている is composed of the verb 寝る (to sleep) and the auxiliary verb いる (to be or to exist), which combines to indicate a continuous state of sleeping.
Which one should you use?
While 寝ている is the standard form, there are several variations. 寝てる is a shorter, informal contraction of 寝ている. For a more relaxed, colloquial tone, you can use 寝てるよ. If you want to express that someone is deeply or "fast" asleep, you can use the informal contraction 寝ちゃってる, which comes from 寝てしまっている.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the auxiliary verb いる to indicate a continuous state.
How do you pronounce it?
neteiru
When do people say it?
When someone is going to bed, it is common to say おやすみなさい to mean "Goodnight".
Did you know?
- In Japan, it is common to see employees 寝ている on trains or even during meetings. This is often viewed as a sign of hard work and exhaustion rather than laziness.
- To describe a 'sleeping' baby, Japanese speakers may use the word すやすや, an onomatopoeia that mimics the sound of peaceful, rhythmic breathing.
- There is a concept called 寝相 (ne-sou) which describes the 'sleeping posture' or the way someone moves while 寝ている. It is a common conversation topic to discuss if someone is a 'wild' sleeper.
Examples in context
- 弟はまだ寝ている。My brother is still sleeping.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 寝ている to describe a brother.Tatoeba #125444 by bunbuku, translation #278549 by CK
- トムはまだ寝ている。Tom is still sleeping.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 寝ている to describe Tom.Tatoeba #2128060 by bunbuku, translation #2273522 by CK
- 赤ちゃんは寝ている。The baby is sleeping.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 寝ている to describe a baby.Tatoeba #11589084 by KK_kaku_, translation #272329 by CK
- ぐっすり眠っています。I'm sleeping soundly.
- 彼は今寝ています。He is sleeping now.
- 昨夜はぐっすり寝てたよ。I slept soundly last night.
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hina and Yota are talking about their dog in the living room.
- 陽葵 Himariあ、ポチが寝ているよ。A, Pochi ga nete iru yo.Oh, Pochi is sleeping.
- 陽太 Yota本当だ。とても気持ちよさそうだね。Hontou da. Totemo kimochiyousa sou da ne.You're right. He looks very comfortable.
- 陽葵 Himari起こさないように静かにしよう。Okosanai you ni shizuka ni shiyou.Let's be quiet so we don't wake him up.
- 陽太 Yotaそうだね。静かに歩こう。Sou da ne. Shizuka ni arukou.You're right. Let's walk quietly.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
