あいつはまたしゃぶをうっています。
Aitsu wa mata shabu o utteimasu.
That dude is selling meth again.
「ています」is like what you use when you’re talkin’ about an action that’s going down right now. Think of it like this: If I’m watchin’ my homie stackin’ cash from a deal, I ain’t just gonna say “He stacks cash.” Nah, I’m gonna say, “He is stackin’ cash.” That “is stackin’” part? That’s the vibe of 「ています」. It tells everyone that the action is fresh, it’s happenin’, and it’s poppin’ off as we speak.
But that’s not all, jack. 「ています」has another angle, too. It can also tell you about a state or a continuous action that started in the past but is still holdin’ strong in the present. Like, if my main man has been hustlin’ on the streets for years, I’d say he “is hustlin’.” It’s not somethin’ he’s doin’ at this very second, but it’s his whole life, his whole thing. So it’s about what’s happenin’ right now and what’s been goin’ on for a minute.
This is how you put the words together, so you don’t sound like a clown.
| Verb Form | Conjugation | Positive example | Positive example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 (U-verbs) | Change the final 「u」 to 「i」form and add 「te」 | はなす = はなしています hanashiteimasu I am talking | はなさない = はなしていません hanashiteimasen I am not talking |
| Group 2 (Ru-verbs) | Remove the final 「ru」 and add 「teimasu」 | たべる = たべています tabeteimasu I am eating | たべない = たべていません tabeteimasen I am not eating |
| Group 3 (Irregular Verbs) | Just gotta remember | する = しています shiteimasu I am doing | しない = していません shiteimasen I am not doing |
To get the ～ています form, you gotta first get the te-form of the verb. It’s like gettin’ your threads right before you hit the club. For ru-verbs, you just drop the ru and add te. Easy peasy. For u-verbs, it’s a little trickier, but once you got the rhythm, you’ll be flyin’. You gotta switch up the last sound of the verb, then add te. Like hanasu (to talk) becomes hanashite. And the irregulars, you just gotta know them, plain and simple. Once you got the te-form on lock, you just slap on imasu.
The easiest way to think about it? It’s like your favorite gangster flick. When the director says “Action!” that’s when the “teimasu” starts. The characters are doin’ the thing, whether they’re runnin’ from the cops, sittin’ in the hideout, or plottin’ on the next big score. The movie is rollin’, and the grammar is rollin’ right along with it.
Peep this new words before you run the examples.
かねをおろす (Kane o orosu)
English: To withdraw money.
Listen up, playa. You hustlin’ hard, gettin’ that paper. Now you gotta get that bread from the bank, you dig? That’s what this phrase is all about. You go to the ATM, hit up the teller, and get that stack in your hand. It’s time to cash out.
かちこみ (Kachikomi)
English: Raid; to attack or break into.
Yo, this ain’t no game. When you roll up on the other crew’s turf, guns blazin’, lookin’ to cause some damage, that’s a raid. It’s when you and your whole posse storm the spot, unannounced, and handle business. Think of that epic bank heist scene in the movie “Heat.” That’s the vibe.
しとめる (Shitomeru)
English: To take out; to kill; to assassinate.
When you gotta silence someone for good, you gotta take ’em out. This word means you finish the job, you put ’em down for the count. Like in “The Godfather,” when Michael Corleone had to settle the score. No witnesses, no loose ends.
しきる (shikiru).
English: To be in charge; to be running things.
This is for the top dog, the one callin’ the shots. The one who runs the whole operation. When you’re in charge, you’re the boss, the man in control. The one everyone answers to. Like Frank Lucas in “American Gangster,” he was runnin’ the whole damn show.
となりのくみ (Tonari no kumi)
English: The rival gang; the crew next door.
Every block has another crew tryin’ to get theirs, right? They’re on the next corner, the next street. They’re your rivals, the competition. This phrase is what you call the crew you’re always beefin’ with. The ones you gotta keep an eye on.
Aight, check out these examples. They’re all about that street life.
いま、やつをしめていますから、でんわにでれません。
Ima, yatsu o shimeteimasu kara, denwa ni deremasen.
Right now, I’m roughing up the dude, so I can’t answer the phone.
ぼすは、まだかちこみのじゅんびをしています。
Bosu wa, mada kachikomi no junbi o shiteimasu.
The boss is still preparing for the raid.
となりのくみは、うちのなわばりをねらっています。
Tonari no kumi wa, uchi no nawabari o neratteimasu.
The rival gang is targeting our turf.
あのこぶんは、ずっとでんわでおんなとはなしています。
Ano kobun wa, zutto denwa de onna to hanashiteimasu.
That underling has been talking to a girl on the phone forever.
おれはいま、ぎんこうでかねをおろしています。
Ore wa ima, ginkou de kane o oroshiteimasu.
I’m at the bank withdrawing money right now.
けいさつが、おまえたちをさがしています。
Keisatsu ga, omaetachi o sagashiteimasu.
The police are looking for you guys.
だれが、うちのかねをぬすんでいますか？
Dare ga, uchi no kane o nusundeimasu ka?
Who is stealing our money?
おれのおんなは、いつもおれのかえりをまっています。
Ore no onna wa, itsumo ore no kaeri o matteimasu.
My girl is always waiting for me to come home.
くみちょうは、もうにじゅうねんかん、このくみをしきっています。
Kumichou wa, mou nijuunenkan, kono kumi o shikitteimasu. “The boss has been running this gang for 20 years.”
おれたちがしとめたやつが、まだいきています。
Oretachi ga shitometa yatsu ga, mada ikiteimasu.
The dude we took down is still alive.
Stay up, stay real. Peace out.
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