Compare two meanings expressed with forms associated with Kobe speech.

The idea

In some Kobe-area speech, 〜よる can describe an action in progress, while 〜とう or 〜とる can describe the resulting state. For example, 食べよる can mean “is eating”, whereas 食べとう can mean “has eaten”. Standard 〜ている can express either, depending on the verb and context. The examples below are standard Japanese.

Patterns to compare
JapaneseMeaning
〜よるaction in progress
〜とう／〜とるresulting state
〜ているstandard form: action or state

Examples

  • 今いま、昼ひるご飯はんを食たべています。I am eating lunch now.
  • もう昼ひるご飯はんを食たべました。I have already eaten lunch.
  • ドアが開あいています。The door is open.
  • だれかがドアを開あけています。Someone is opening the door.
  • あの人ひとを知しっています。I know that person.
  • 子こどもが公園こうえんで走はしっています。The child is running in the park.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

These forms also occur beyond Kobe and vary by speaker, verb and locality. Do not assume that every 〜とう signals a completed action or that everyone in Kobe speaks alike.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the Kobe-associated form for an action in progress: （食べよる／食べとう）

    Show answer or example answer

    食べよる

    食べよる can describe eating in progress; 食べとう can describe the result of having eaten.

  2. Choose the Kobe-associated form that can describe the result of eating: （食べとう／食べよる）

    Show answer or example answer

    食べとう

    食べとう can describe the state after eating; 食べよる can describe eating in progress.

  3. Choose the standard form expressing a state of knowing: （知っている／走っている）

    Show answer or example answer

    知っている

    知っている expresses a state of knowing, not an action currently in progress.

Use it today

Compare the standard sentences about eating and knowing: which describes an ongoing action, and which a state?