We’ve already talked about the て form + います as being used to express the present progress, but did you know that there are other uses of the て form + います.

When verbs of movement like 行く (to go), 来る (to come), 帰る (to return), 出る (to go out), and 入る (to enter) is combined with the て form, the time of when the action takes place is not always in the present progressive :

佐藤さんは部屋に入っています = Mr. Satō is in the room.

(さとう/佐藤 = Satō. さん = Mr. は = particle. へや/部屋 = room. に = particle. はいっています/入っています = enter)

In this case, the sentence can be interpreted as, “Mr. Satō entered the room and is still there”.

There may be some ambiguity as to the meaning of certain sentences :

益子さんはブラウスを着ています = Ms. Masuko is putting on a blouse/Ms. Masuko is wearing a blouse

(ますこ/益子 = Masuko. さん = Ms. は = particle. ブラウス = blouse. を = particle. きています/着ています = wearing/putting)

The example above could mean, “Ms. Masuko is putting on a blouse right now” or “Ms. Masuko put a blouse on, and she still has the blouse on”.

て form + います can also be used to indicate a change in status :

新さんは結婚しています = Mr. Arata is married

(あらた/新 = Arata. さん = Mr. は = particle. けっこんしています/結婚しています = married)

In other words, Mr. Arata was single before, but now he’s married.

て form + います can also be used to express a habitual action :

高橋さんは毎日テニスをしています = Mr. Takahashi plays tennis every day

(たかはし/高橋 = Takahashi. さん = Mr. は = particle. まいにち/毎日 = every day. テニス = tennis. を = particle. しています = do/”play”)