Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 4: 8/18

つつある

-ing, Be -ing

Structure

Verb［ます］+ つつある

Details

  • Register

    Formal

  • 使用域

    硬い

About つつある

When the particle つつ 'while doing' is combined with ある 'to be', it indicates that someone or something is in the ongoing process of (A). (A) will be a verb in its ます-stem form. This formal grammar structure primarily highlights that (A) is slowly but surely continuing or changing. This 'change' is often in regard to an increase, decrease, expansion, contraction, or something similar.
This pattern can be translated simply as 'to be (A)ing'.
  • 毎年(まいとし)、年金(ねんきん)の受給額(じゅきゅうがく)が減(へ)りつつあるので、生活(せいかつ)に困(こま)っている高齢者(こうれいしゃ)が増(ふ)えてきている。
    Every year, more and more elderly people are having trouble making ends meet because their pension benefits are decreasing.
  • 日本(にほん)では物価(ぶっか)が上(あ)がりつつある。
    Prices in general are rising in Japan.
  • 最近(さいきん)はインターネットを使(つか)って買(か)い物(もの)ができるので、わざわざお店(みせ)に行(い)って買(か)い物(もの)をする人(ひと)が減(へ)りつつある。
    These days, people can shop using the Internet, so fewer people are going out of their way to go to stores to shop.
Caution - Compared to ている, つつある tends not to be used in relation to noticably physical motions, but rather highlights actions that indicate an ongoing state of change (such as the blooming of a flower), rather than simply 'continuing'. This is especially true for verbs that have an obvious end or completion point.
  • 彼(かれ)はりんごを食(た)べている。
    He is eating an apple. (Natural Japanese)
  • 彼(かれ)はりんごを食(た)べつつある。
    He is eating an apple. (Unnatural Japanese)

Examples

  • アフリカの野生(やせい)動物(どうぶつ)の数(かず)が減(へ)りつつあるのは残念(ざんねん)だ。

    It is a pity that the number of wild animals in Africa is decreasing.

  • 近年(きんねん)、経済(けいざい)的(てき)にはA国(こく)とB国(こく)の協力(きょうりょく)関係(かんけい)は強化(きょうか)されつつあるが、軍事(ぐんじ)的(てき)には国境(こっきょう)付近(ふきん)において小規模(しょうきぼ)紛争(ふんそう)が絶(た)えない。

    In recent years, the economical relationship between country A and country B is strengthening. However, when it comes to the military, small-scale conflicts close to the border do not cease.

  • 地球(ちきゅう)温暖(おんだん)化(か)のために砂漠(さばく)に変(か)わりつつある国(くに)がある。また、海(うみ)に沈(しず)みつつある島国(しまぐに)もある。

    There are countries that are changing into deserts due to global warming. In addition, there are also island countries that are sinking into the ocean.

  • 70年代(ねんだい)中(ちゅう)、石油(せきゆ)の価格(かかく)が急(きゅう)に上(あ)がりつつあったので、オランダでは自転車(じてんしゃ)の使用(しよう)が広(ひろ)まった。

    In the 70's, the price of oil was rising rapidly so riding bicycles became a common practice in the Netherlands.

  • おかげさまで、病気(びょうき)は治(なお)りつつあります。

    Fortunately, my disease is healing.

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つつある – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (1 in total)

  • Myria

    Myria

    I hope this is the right place to add these questions.
    Regarding the sentence
    アフリカの野生やせい動物どうぶつの数かずがへりつつあるのは残念ざんねんだ。

    I answered へっている and was marked wrong. I feel like a hint is warranted here. I usually review with translations/hints off so I went with the first thing that came to my mind. Usually bunpro’s hint/shake system allows me to get to the answer it wants, but somehow it didn’t for this review.

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