Japanese for Talking About Ongoing Hobbies: 'I've Been Painting for Years' and 'I'm Learning Guitar'
Learn to express how long you've been doing a hobby and what you're currently learning in Japanese, using the 〜ている form and duration markers.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
In this lesson, you'll learn how to talk about hobbies with more depth—specifically, how to say how long you've been doing something and what you're currently learning. This goes beyond simply naming a hobby like 'I like painting.' You'll use the 〜ている form to express ongoing actions and states, and combine it with duration expressions like 〜年間 (〜nenkan) and 〜ヶ月 (〜kagetsu). You'll also learn how to say you're learning something new, such as 'I'm learning guitar,' using 習っています (naratte imasu). By the end, you'll be able to share your own hobby history and ask others about theirs, making your conversations richer and more natural.
By the end, you can…
- say how long I've been doing a hobby using 〜年間 and 〜ヶ月.
- express what I'm currently learning using 習っています.
- ask someone how long they've been doing a hobby.
- talk about a hobby I've continued for years.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
私は絵を描いています。
I'm painting. / I paint (as a hobby).
Watashi wa e o kaite imasu.
Use 〜ています to describe an ongoing action or a habitual activity. Here it can mean both 'I'm painting (right now)' and 'I paint (as a hobby).' Context clarifies.
もう五年間絵を描いています。
I've been painting for five years now.
Mou go-nenkan e o kaite imasu.
もう (mou) means 'already' or 'now,' emphasizing the duration. 五年間 (go-nenkan) means 'for five years.' This pattern expresses how long you've been doing something. Note: 五年間 alone can mean 'for five years' (a completed span), so もう is often added to make clear the activity is still ongoing.
ギターを習っています。
I'm learning guitar.
Gitā o naratte imasu.
習う (narau) means 'to learn' or 'to take lessons.' Using 〜ています shows you are currently in the process of learning.
どのくらいギターを弾いていますか。
How long have you been playing guitar?
Dono kurai gitā o hiite imasu ka.
どのくらい (dono kurai) means 'how long' or 'about how much.' This is a polite way to ask about duration. 弾く (hiku) is the verb for playing string instruments.
三年間習っていますが、まだ上手じゃありません。
I've been learning for three years, but I'm not good yet.
San-nenkan naratte imasu ga, mada jouzu ja arimasen.
This combines duration (三年間) with the 〜ています form and adds a contrasting clause with が (ga). まだ (mada) means 'still' or 'not yet.' 上手じゃありません is the negative polite form of 上手 (jouzu, skilled).
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To say how long you've been doing something, use: [duration] + [verb in 〜ています form]. For example, 五年間絵を描いています (go-nenkan e o kaite imasu) means 'I've been painting for five years.' The duration expression comes before the verb. Common duration words: 〜年間 (〜nenkan) for years, 〜ヶ月 (〜kagetsu) for months, 〜週間 (〜shūkan) for weeks. For 'I'm learning,' use 習っています (naratte imasu). Example: ギターを習っています (gitā o naratte imasu) = 'I'm learning guitar.' Note that 〜ています with a duration can be ambiguous: 五年間絵を描いています can mean 'I've been painting for five years (and still am)' or, in some contexts, 'I painted for five years (and have stopped).' Adding もう (mou) or 今も (ima mo, 'even now') makes the ongoing meaning clear.
When to use it
Use the 〜ています form with a duration when you want to emphasize that an activity has continued over time and is still ongoing. This is different from simply stating a hobby with 好きです (suki desu, 'I like'). For example, 絵を描くのが好きです (e o kaku no ga suki desu) means 'I like painting,' but it doesn't say for how long. If you want to add history, say 五年間絵を描いています. Also, use 習っています when you are actively taking lessons or learning a new skill, not just doing it casually. For a hobby you do regularly but not as a lesson, use the 〜ています form of the action verb, like 弾いています (hiite imasu) for playing an instrument.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
趣味は何ですか。
What are your hobbies?Shumi wa nan desu ka.絵を描くことです。もう五年間描いています。
Painting. I've been painting for five years now.E o kaku koto desu. Mou go-nenkan kaite imasu.へえ、すごいですね。私はギターを習っています。
Wow, that's great. I'm learning guitar.Hee, sugoi desu ne. Watashi wa gitā o naratte imasu.どのくらい弾いていますか。
How long have you been playing?Dono kurai hiite imasu ka.A little context goes a long way
In Japanese, when talking about hobbies, it's common to use humble expressions about your own skills and praise others. Saying まだ上手じゃありません (mada jouzu ja arimasen, 'I'm not good yet') is a polite way to show modesty, even if you are skilled. Also, the 〜ています form is versatile: it can describe an ongoing action, a habitual activity, or a state resulting from a change. Context and time expressions clarify the meaning. When asking about someone's hobby, 趣味は何ですか (shumi wa nan desu ka) is a standard, polite question.
One thing to watch for
Using 〜ます form instead of 〜ています to express an ongoing activity, e.g., 五年間絵を描きます (go-nenkan e o kakimasu) to mean 'I've been painting for five years.'
Try this instead: The 〜ます form expresses future or habitual actions, not ongoing duration. To say 'I've been painting for five years,' use 五年間絵を描いています (go-nenkan e o kaite imasu). The 〜ています form indicates the action has continued up to now and is still relevant. Note that 五年間絵を描いています can also be read as 'I painted for five years (and stopped),' so adding もう (mou) or 今も (ima mo) clarifies that the activity is still ongoing.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'I've been learning Japanese for two years'?
Show a sample answer
二年間日本語を習っています。 (Ni-nenkan nihongo o naratte imasu.)
This uses the duration 二年間 (ni-nenkan) and the 〜ています form of 習う (narau). It correctly expresses an ongoing learning process. You could also say 二年間日本語を勉強しています (benkyō shite imasu) if you mean 'studying' rather than 'taking lessons,' which is also valid.
2What is the difference between 絵を描きます and 絵を描いています?
Show a sample answer
絵を描きます means 'I will paint' or 'I paint (habitually),' while 絵を描いています means 'I am painting' or 'I have been painting.'
The 〜ます form is used for future or habitual actions, while the 〜ています form expresses an ongoing action or a state resulting from an action. In the context of hobbies, 〜ています often implies a continuous activity.
3Ask someone how long they've been playing piano.
Show a sample answer
どのくらいピアノを弾いていますか。 (Dono kurai piano o hiite imasu ka.)
This uses どのくらい (dono kurai) for 'how long' and the 〜ています form of 弾く (hiku). It's a polite and natural way to ask about duration. For a more casual version, you could say どのくらいピアノを弾いてる？ (dono kurai piano o hiiteru?) among friends.
To add depth to hobby talk, use 〜ています with a duration like 〜年間 or 〜ヶ月 to say how long you've been doing something, and use 習っています to say you're learning a new skill. This makes your Japanese more natural and expressive.
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