The "te form" part 1 ku/kimasu

Converting japanese verbs into their progressive form (or the so-called "te form") is probably the most difficult verb conjugation could get. Difficult because eventhough japanese verbs fall neatly into 3 groups (the ichidan, the godan and the irregular), the rule for the godan group is further divided into 5 groups (hence the term "go" for 5). Today we take up the first godan group.

For verbs ending in ku, or the more formal kimasu, the end is dropped and "ite" is added to form their te form.

Thus:
To write
kaku (dictionary form)
kakimasu (formal form)
kaite(te form)

To listen
kiku (dictionary form)
kikimasu (formal form)
kiite (te form)

To work
hataraku (dictionary form)
hatarakimasu (formal form)
hataraite (te form)

Adding "iru" or the more formal "imasu" to the te form turns it into the present progressive tense.

Thus:
writing
kaite iru (casual)
kaite imasu (formal)

listening
kiite iru (casual)
kiite imasu (formal)

working
hataraite iru (casual)
hataraite imasu (formal)

Let's Practice!



Kanojo wa nani wo shite imasu ka?
(What is she doing?)
Kanojo wa tegami wo kaite imasu.
(She is writing a letter.)




Kanojo wa nani wo shite imasu ka?
(What is she doing?)
Kanojo wa IPhone wo kiite imasu.
(She is listening to an IPhone.)



Kare wa nani wo shite imasu ka?
(What is he doing?)
Kare wa kaisha de hataraite imasu.
(He is working in a company.)

What other japanese godan verbs do you know that end in ku/kimasu? What is their te form? Could you give me a sample sentence?